Derby Dental Practice Hosts Oral Cancer Screening Day After Loss of Patient
The Bridge and Implant Clinic in Derby is offering free oral cancer screening on Saturday 22nd November in memory of a patient who sadly lost their life to the disease.
This is the first year the centre has taken part in the screening programme and staff members have been inspired by the story of a patient who tragically died after being diagnosed with the disease. The patient was sent to hospital for further tests and treatment, but sadly, the disease was already at an advanced stage and they died shortly after.
Dr Moss Osman from the clinic said that mouth cancer is a devastating form of the disease, and one which more people need to be aware of as it is becoming increasingly prevalent. The spread of HPV infection in addition to smoking and drinking has contributed to a huge increase in the number of cases in the UK over the last decade. In the UK, more than 2,000 people die of mouth cancer every year.
Dr Osman added that the clinic has always offered screening, but this will be the first year that they offer free checks. Screening will be available to all, not just registered patients, from 10am until 4pm on Saturday and patients are asked to make a small donation of £5, which will be given to charity.
Practice manager Juliette Plimmer said that friendly dentists will be on hand to carry out checks and stressed that there is nothing for patients to worry about. HPV (human papilloma virus) can be an embarrassing subject for many, as it is linked to sexual contact. However, it’s very common and a large proportion of people have HPV without even being aware of it. Most strains are completely harmless, but there are a few that are potentially dangerous. As well as being linked to oral cancer, certain strains of HPV are also a risk factor for cervical cancer.
The practice is eager to highlight the importance of screening and regular dental checks following the death of a former patient, who lost her life after being diagnosed with oral cancer. A sore was spotted in the throat, but unfortunately, the cancer had already reached an aggressive stage and was impossible to treat.
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