Leading doctor issues warning over mouth cancer prevalence among British Asian communities

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A leading doctor has issued a health warning over the prevalence of mouth cancer among British Asian communities. Dr Chet Trivedy, a consultant at London’s Kingston Hospital, said that traditional habits, including chewing tobacco and betel nut, elevate the risk of oral cancer significantly.

Dr Trivedy, who is also a qualified dentist and a trustee at the Oral Health Foundation, said that chewing tobacco and betel nut puts thousands at risk of mouth cancer. Research suggests that these practices, which are common in Asian communities, can increase the risk of oral cancer by seven times.

Dr Trivedy said that despite the growing prevalence of oral cancer, many people in Asian communities are unaware of the disease, let alone its causes and risk factors. The Kingston doctor has called for better education and he is also encouraging people to be more mouth aware and to ensure that they attend regular dental appointments.

Growing up in the Gujarati community in the UK, Dr Trivedy said that he has first-hand experience, both personally and professionally, of seeing the impact that mouth cancer can inflict on people and he is keen to make the public more aware of the risk factors and also the symptoms. Most cases of mouth cancer are diagnosed at a late stage when treatment may not be effective.

Statistics show that mouth cancer rates are high in many Asian countries, with the disease accounting for almost a third of cancer cases in India.

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