Mouth Cancer Screening

Why is regular screening important?

The incident of mouth (oral) cancer in the UK is on the increase.
Around 60,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade. In the UK, over 7,700 people were diagnosed with Mouth Cancer in 2011.

Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, and up to half of current smokers will die of a tobacco-related illness – including mouth cancer. Drinking to excess can also increase the risk of mouth cancer by four times with hose who smoke and drink are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.

Cancers can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, and adjacent areas like the throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites in the head and neck area.treatment can be highly effective for mouth cancer, dependent upon where it is, so long as early detection and treatment is undertaken.

One of the most important things with mouth cancer is early detection, we strongly believe in testing our patients for early signs of cancer before they develop any symptoms.

What can cause oral cancer?

Oral cancer is more common among tobacco and alcohol users. Some traditional forms of tobacco, like chewing tobacco, pose a greater risk.

The consumption of alcohol increases the risk of oral cancer and mixed with tobacco use,
the risk becomes even greater.

Sun exposure without protection can also cause cancer of the lips.

Oral cancer has recently been increasingly linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the major cause of cervical cancer and it is thought that it is fast becoming a major cause in oral cancer cases in the UK. Limiting the number of sexual partners and practising safe sex reduces the chances of contracting HPV.

What are the signs of oral cancer?

A white or a red patch that is consistent and has not healed for 3 weeks or a painless mouth ulcer can be a sign of oral cancer. Any such abnormalities should be checked out by the dentist.

We strongly recommend getting tested

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