We are halfway through Oral Cancer Month now. The British Dental Health Foundation reports that deaths from the disease were 2,500 in 2011 in the UK. Lifestyle choices heavily influence your risk of developing mouth cancer. Tobacco use, drinking alcohol to excess, poor diet and the human papillomavirus (HPV), often transmitted via oral sex, all increase your chances of getting oral cancer.
If caught early your chances of surviving mouth cancer are 90%. A full dental examination includes a check of the tissues where mouth cancer can occur. Ulcers that do not heal within 3 weeks, red patches, white patches and unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth should be looked at by a dentist.
So if you haven’t seen a dentist for a while give us a call. It may save your life.
