Mouth Cancer Action Month

Mouth Cancer Action Month is run by the British Dental Health Foundation, in association with Denplan.  It calls on all dental professionals to help educate members of the general public about a disease that kills more people in the UK than testicular and cervical cancer combined using the tagline "If In Doubt, Get Checked Out".

The Foundation estimates around 6,000 new cases a year are diagnosed in the UK, and one person dies every five hours from the disease.  With statistics like this action really has to be taken to raise awareness and encourage us  to be more vigilent about our oral health.  Early detection raises survival chances from only half to a 9 out of 10 survival rate.

Dental hygienists and therapists have a particularly important role to play.  Ascertaining information about the patient's lifestyle before an examination will give a better idea of their risk.

Smoking is still the main cause of mouth cancer, and with two thirds of smokers wanting to give up, Mouth Cancer Action Month is the perfect opportunity for health professionals to encourage smokers to do so.

Drinking to excess is another risk factor, with those who drink and smoke heavily up to 30 times more likely to get mouth cancer.  Poor diet, ethnic chewing tobacco such as paan and guthka are also risk factors. 

So "If in doubt, get checked out"!!

 

 

Source: www.dentistry.co.uk