More people are going to die from mouth cancer this year, than from a road traffic accident. Yet the Oral Health Foundation reported that 75% of people surveyed did not know the main signs and symptoms of the disease, and 12% of people had not heard of mouth cancer at all.
November is Mouth Cancer Action Month and is a charity campaign run by the Oral Health Foundation. The campaign first started in 2000 due to the rise in new cases and deaths and to raise awareness of the disease through local fundraising and social media campaigns.
Symptoms
Your dentist should be looking for signs of mouth cancer at every appointment. You can also carry out checks at home. The NHS advise that the following could be signs of mouth cancer:
- persistent mouth ulcers
- persistent lumps in the mouth or neck
- persistent numbness
- white or red patches in the mouth or tongue
- changes in speech
If you are concerned that you are experiencing any of theses symptoms, please speak to your dentist or doctor. Your dentist can carry out a pain free examination and look for an abnormalities.
This will include a visual examination and in some cases, dentists will use Advanced Fluorescence Technology to check for any disease that is not visible by visual examination.
Negligence
Cases of mouth cancer continue to rise at an astonishing rate, up 97% in 20 years. Smoking, drinking, poor diet and the lack of knowledge, leading to late diagnosis, are behind the rise. Early diagnosis is the best way to help beat mouth cancer. The Oral Health Foundation advise that early detection increases chances of survival from 50% to 90%.
Unfortunately, we do see cases where mouth cancer has been missed by treating dentists. If you have been diagnosed with mouth cancer and are concerned that your dentist did not diagnose this earlier, then please do not hesitate to contact us on: 0333 888 0406, or email [email protected]