A trip to the dentist could be life-saving says charity campaign
November 1st marked the start of Mouth Cancer Action Month 2016, the annual charity campaign to raise awareness of signs, symptoms, and causes of the disease.
New research by the Oral Health Foundation shows that as few as 40% of people are able to identify the major symptoms related to mouth cancer, which include non-healing mouth ulcers, red or white patches in the mouth, and unusual lumps and swellings.
Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, said of these alarming findings: “In the UK, mouth cancer cases have increased by 39% in the last decade alone and by 92% since the 1970s, it is one of a very small number of cancers which is actually on the increase and therefore something we all need to be very aware of.”
“Unfortunately survival rates have not improved in the last 20 years either, that is why it is vitally important that everyone is more Mouthaware,” he continued. “Mouth cancer can affect anyone so everybody needs to be able to recognise and act on the early warning signs in order to improve early diagnosis and help save lives that otherwise could be lost to this terrible disease.”
Dr Carter added, “Early diagnosis transforms a person’s chances of beating the disease from 50% to 90% so it is crucial that everybody knows what to look out for. If you have any of the warning signs of mouth cancer it is vitally important that you visit your dentist straight away, it could save your life.”
Of great concern for the charity is the revelation that that 18% of people questioned said that they would not seek help from a dentist or doctor if they had a mouth ulcer lasting longer than three weeks.
Dr Henry Clover, Chief Dental Officer of the lead sponsor of the campaign , Denplan, stated that “[A] dentist should be the first point of call for any problems or changes occurring inside the mouth. It is incredibly disturbing, therefore, that only one in five of us would visit our dentist with what is one of the major early warning signs of mouth cancer.”
The Oral Health Foundation also found that awareness regarding what puts individuals at risk of mouth cancer is also frighteningly low. Around 22% of those questioned did not associate smoking with mouth cancer whilst 45% didn’t think drinking alcohol to excess was linked to the disease.
