November is Mouth Cancer Awareness Month and here at Spire Dental Group we are supporting the charity to raise awareness of the disease.
Most people have heard of cancer affecting parts of the body such as the lungs or breasts. However, cancer can also occur in the mouth, where the disease can affect the lips, tongue, cheeks and throat. Anyone can be affected by mouth cancer, whether they have their own teeth or not. Mouth cancers are more common in people over 40, particularly men. However, research has shown that mouth cancer is becoming more common in younger patients and in women.
Most cases of mouth cancer are linked to tobacco and alcohol. Over-exposure to sunlight can also increase the risk of cancer of the lips. Mouth cancer can appear as a painless mouth ulcer that does not heal normally. A white or red patch in the mouth can also develop into a cancer.
More than 7,500 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer last year in the UK. Early detection remains crucial so visit your dentist on a regular basis as you may not be able to see any of these signs yourself.
Spire Dental Group are offering FREE mouth cancer examinations during the month of November to all new patients. We routinely conduct mouth cancer screening at every examination of our registered patients.