Be aware of warning signs and risks in Mouth Cancer Action Month
Mouth Cancer Action Month, which runs during November 2021, aims to highlight the warning signs of the disease – which has grown by a third in the last decade – as well as the factors that could put people at risk.
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Community Dental service is raising awareness locally. It says that according to the Mouth Cancer Foundation and the Oral Health Foundation, more than 8,300 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer last year in the UK. Sharon Walker, the trust’s Oral Health Lead, said:
We want people to be more aware of mouth cancer and the lifestyle choices they make that can lead to mouth cancer developing. Mouth cancer kills more people in the UK every year than cervical and testicular cancer combined. Spotting the disease early can increases chances of survival, early detection is key, and we encourage people to check their mouths regularly, and visit the dental surgery immediately if they notice anything abnormal to reduce the risks.
The warning signs of mouth cancer are:
- Red, white or speckled patches in the mouth that can’t be wiped off
- Mouth ulcers or sores that take longer than three weeks to heal
- A lump or thickening in the mouth
- Problems chewing or swallowing lasting more than three weeks
- A sore throat that lasts longer than three weeks
To reduce the risk of mouth cancer:
- Check your mouth regularly and visit your dentist or GP immediately if you notice anything unusual
- Stop smoking/chewing tobacco
- Don’t drink more than the recommended limit of alcohol
- Maintain a healthy and balanced diet
- If in doubt, get checked out.
Click here for more information from the Mouth Cancer Foundation
In January 2002, Dr Vinod Joshi set up the Restorative Dentistry Oncology Clinics’ Mouth Cancer Awareness website to complement the work he was doing at the clinics he ran at St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford and Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.
The website experienced phenomenal growth over the first two years, especially the message board facility which became a robust online support group. This convinced the eminent oral surgeon to establish the Mouth Cancer Foundation in June 2004, a not-for-profit organisation which became a registered charity in May 2005.
