Mouth Cancer Action Month during November aims to raise awareness of mouth cancer and make a difference by saving thousands of lives .
Did You Know?
- Mouth cancer causes more deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or melanomas. Did you know
- Around 60,000 people will be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade.
- In the UK there were 7,700 cases of mouth, throat and head & neck cancers in 2011.
Cancers can occur in many parts 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. The chance of survival is hugely improved if the cancers are detected early and treated quickly. So if in Doubt get it checked out.
Signs of Mouth cancer are:
- Ulcers that do not heal within three weeks
- Red or white patches in the mouth
- Unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth or head or neck area
- Difficulty in swallowing, chewing or moving the tongue
The main causes of mouth Cancer are:
- Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, up to half of current smokers will die of a tobacco-related illness – including mouth cancer.
- Drinking to excess can increase the risk of mouth cancer by four times. Those who smoke and drink are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
- Poor diet is linked to a third of all cancer cases.
- HPV – Experts suggest the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease which is increasingly linked to mouth cancer.
You will be checked for any abnormalities at every routine check up appointment, but if you have any concerns please call us on 014743 343433
Information from www.mouthcancer.org