BDHF Launches Mouth Cancer Action Month Campaign

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The British Dental Health Foundation has launched this year’s Mouth Cancer Action Month campaign, which will run throughout the month of November.

Recent statistics from Cancer Research UK show that death rates from oral cancer are set to rise by 22 per cent by the year 2030 and this is largely due to the fact that most cases of oral cancer are not diagnosed until an advanced stage when it is difficult to treat the disease and there is a high risk of cancer spreading.

This year’s campaign is focusing on encouraging people to see their dentist for regular check-ups and a regular screening test; the tag line is ‘If in doubt, get checked out’. The campaign also hopes to educate people about the risk factors and causes of oral cancer, which include smoking, drinking and exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV).

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the BDHF, said that 65,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer over the next decade and half will die because the condition will not be diagnosed early. The BDHF wants to educate people about the signs and symptoms so that they can spot them early and see their dentist so that treatment can be arranged as quickly as possible.

Dr Carter said that it is important that people are aware of the warning signs, which include slow-healing sores and ulcers, red or white patches in the mouth and abnormal swelling and lumps in the mouth or throat.

Throughout November dentists across theUKwill be offering free screening tests; the test takes just a few minutes and there is no pain involved. Mouth Cancer Action Month is supported by Simplyhealth and Denplan.

 

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October 9th, 2013 at 08:47 PM
sandra king Says :

am doing an adult dental display at a health fair next week, could you post me any relavant info and leaflets and samples to pass on? i am hoping to concentrate on oral cancer, anything related to adult dental care would be very useful. many thanks,
sandra king
5 drumvale rd
bendooragh
bt53 7td