Mouth Cancer Awareness

Philip Broughton

Principal dentist

In my 33 years of dentistry I have come across only 3 cases of oral cancer. One incident was a chance finding on a gentleman who attended with his wife and asked would I mind having a quick look at an ulcer on his tongue. The aftermath was devastating.

I must keep this blog short and to the point. Have an oral health check every 6 months. Act quickly if you have any concerns that you have an ulcer that persists beyond 10 days

Be mindful of the risk factors and take steps to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Below are links to the Dental Health website highlighting the signs and risk factors associated with oral cancer.

www.dentalhealth.org/spotthesigns

www.dentalhealth.org/therisks

Below are the key findings of the 2022 State of the mouth UK Cancer Report.

• New cases of mouth cancer in the UK reached 8,846 last year.
• This has increased by 34% in the last decade and by 103% compared with 20 years’ ago.
• 58% of mouth cancers appear on the tongue and tonsils.
• Last year, 3,034 people in the UK lost their life to mouth cancer.
• The ten-year survival rate is between 18% and 57%, depending on where the cancer strikes and how early it is diagnosed.
• Almost nine-in-ten (88%) UK adults have now heard of mouth cancer. However, awareness on the signs, symptoms and risk factors is poor.
• Awareness of the major signs and symptoms for mouth cancer are as low as 17%.
• Awareness on the major risk factors of mouth cancer is as low as 9%.
• Improving access to NHS dentistry, tackling late diagnosis, and protecting public health policies are some of the key challenges in confronting mouth cancer.
• The report calls for for more funding for NHS dentistry, investment in education and the need to boost uptake of the HPV vaccination.   

Below is a summary of the risk factors associated with Oral Cancer

• Smoking
• Alcohol
• HPV
• Chewing tobacco
• Sunlight / sunbeds
• Cancer history
• Family history

There is also a great video on the dental health website that provides instructions on how best to self-check your mouth for signs of oral cancer

For a free consultation please do not hesitate to connect with our Manchester or Stockport Clinics on 0161 830 7300 or email at www.themalldental.co.uk.

Stay safe!