Mouth Cancer Awareness Month at Absolute Dental - Early detection could save lives

November is Mouth Cancer Action Month and their slogan this year is "If in doubt, get it checked out". It is very important that awareness of this disease is highlighted, as 6,000 will be diagnosed with Mouth Cancer this year in the UK alone. Without early detection, half of these will die.

The five-year survival rate of mouth cancer patients is just 50 per cent. But early diagnosis gives patients a 90 per cent chance of survival. Absolute Dental support Mouth Cancer Action Month to increase awareness of the disease, the symptoms and the risk factors.



Between 1997 and 2008, the number of mouth cancer cases has risen by nearly 46 per cent to 5,790. Over 20,000 people have lost their lives in the same period. Unless we continue to keep awareness high around 30,000 people could lose their lives over the next decade as a result of mouth cancer.

Prevention is definitley the key and at every Dental Health Assesment at Absolute Dental, Rhod & Ruth include an oral cancer check within their assessment - not just this month, but every time they see you. These checks make sure that your mouth is healthy, and we tell you that everything is healthy, so that your mind can be put at ease. Or, on the rare occasion that something abnormal is found, as it was recently for one or Rhods' patients, we ensure prompt referral to a specialist for treatment.


We also help our patients recognise the symptoms and identify the risk factors. We help to promoting better lifestyle choices that can reduce significant threats and make a huge difference, especially amongst young people. According to research undertaken by the NHS Information Centre in 2011, nearly one in two (45 per cent) 11 to 15 year olds have consumed alcohol, while more than one in four (27 per cent) admitted to smoking.

Here are some Mouth Cancer statistics:

The five year survival rate of mouth cancer patients is just 50%.


BUT early diagnosis gives patients a 90% survival.


Regular visit to your dentist will ensure you are professionally screened for signs of mouth cancer. Talk to your dentists about the process and mouth cancer risk factors.

Self-examination is a simple, potentially life-saving process.


Look out for:

· Ulcers which do not heal within three weeks

· Red and white patches in the mouth


· Unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth


If your mouth is a concern make an appointment with your dentist or GP immediately and make sure they know your worries.

KNOW THE RISKS – PREVENTION IS KEY

Lifestyle choices can prevent this significant threat.


SMOKING, CHEWING TOBACCO, ARECA NUT, PAAN and GUTHKA are main risks.


· ALCOHOL can be deadly. Drinking and smoking to excess raises risk by up to 30 times as alcohol aids absorption of tobacco into the mouth.


· POOR DIET has been linked to mouth cancer. Make sure you get your five-a-day fruit and vegetables. Evidence shows that extra portions of fruit and vegetables reduce the risk still further, as can fish and eggs.


· HPV: the human papilloma virus (HPV), transmitted via oral sex, is a growing threat as a mouth cancer cause. Experts suggest it may rival tobacco and alcohol as a major cancer cause within 10 years.


Sadly risk knows no boundaries in relation to mouth cancer.


A growing number are developing the disease without displaying any traditional risk factors – underlining the need for check-ups and self-examination.


Men were once five times more likely to develop mouth cancer – now they are just twice as likely.


The age group affected is falling as younger people than ever are diagnosed.

Diane