Mouth Cancer Action Month – A Campaign Close to Our Hearts

Did you know that more than 7,800 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer in the UK last year?  The number of instances has been on the rise despite the best efforts of organisations such as the Oral Health Foundation to raise awareness and change behaviours, knowing that most instances are, in some way, lifestyle related.

What is Mouth Cancer Action Month?

Mouth Cancer Action Month is the Oral Health Foundation’s awareness-raising campaign that takes place every November.  The purpose of the campaign is about making people more ‘mouth aware’, by highlighting the risk factors, such as lifestyle choices, as well as signs and symptoms of the disease.

The aim is to encourage healthier lifestyles, to achieve a reduction in numbers of people diagnosed with mouth, neck and head cancers.

Free Mouth Cancer Screenings

In recognition of the Mouth Cancer Action campaign we are offering free mouth cancer screenings this November (2019):

 

 

Instances of mouth cancer have reached jaw-dropping proportions here in the UK, with more than 7800 new cases in the last year alone.  That’s an average of 21 people diagnosed every day.  It’s a condition where early diagnosis dramatically enhances survival rates from a mere 50%, in cases of late diagnosis, to a significantly healthier 90%.

Whilst anyone can be affected by Mouth Cancer, it’s more common in men, especially over the age of 40. Overall the condition is more common, by a third, than it was a decade ago.

At Balsall Common Dental Practice, we’re passionate about health matters, generally, with prevention at the heart of everything we do.  That’s why mouth cancer screening has been an integral part of every check-up we’ve done since we opened our Balsall Common Practice in the year 2000. That’s nearly 18 years of mouth cancer checks!

 

 

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Mouth Cancer Action Month

Having seen the ravages caused by this horrendous and devastating disease, we are delighted to get behind the British Dental Health Foundation’s Mouth Cancer Action Month all through November, raising awareness through our blog, newsletter and social media channels. We invite our readers to get involved too:

There is lots more information about the disease, causes and how to help make a difference on the Oral Health Foundation’s website at mouthcancer.org. It contains lots of facts, figures and ideas for how to get involved in raising awareness. We would encourage you to take a look around.

 

Detection

Early mouth cancer can appear as a red patch, a white patch, an ulcer or a lump. It can start on any soft part of the mouth but the skin under the tongue and at the back of the throats are the most common sites.

We provide mouth cancer check-ups routinely as part of every dental check-up, but now, in support of Mouth Cancer Action Month will be offering free screenings throughout November to anyone experiencing concerns, with no need for a full dental check-up if you don’t want one.

If you live further afield but have concerns, why not ask your local dentist to screen you too. You never know, it could save your life.

 

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Gwyneth Paltrow’s Mother Blythe Danner talks about Mouth Cancer

 

Mouth Cancer Action Month – Get Involved

 

Please help raise awareness for a condition which can be treated with a high degree of success when caught early.

If you’re on Twitter search for posts to share under #mouthcanceraction – or by following @BalsallDental and @mouthcancerorg

 

 

Risk Factors

A staggering two-thirds of all cases can be traced to tobacco smoking and the vast majority have been linked to general health and lifestyle choices.

All of which means the majority of cases are preventable.

Mouth cancer is twice as common in men than women. The chances are 60 times higher in people with six or more teether missing, underlining the importance of oral health.

The Human papillomavirus (HPV) epidemic is expected to overtake smoking as the leading cause of mouth cancer in the very near future.

 

Discover More About Mouth Cancer

To learn more about Mouth Cancer visit:

mouthcancer.org

 

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Related Posts

https://www.balsallcommondental.com/2016/11/blue-lip-mouth-cancer-action/

HPV Vaccination Gap

Did you know HPV is one of the leading causes for Mouth Cancer in the UK? We have written an in-depth introductory article to the current talking points in our dedicated feature:

HPV vaccination gap: Experts demand parity for Boys