Grantham dental practice offers free mouth cancer screening in November
A dental practice based in Grantham is offering free mouth cancer screening sessions in November.
The team at The Maltings Dental Practice will provide free screening during November to support Mouth Cancer Action Month. The annual campaign is run by the Mouth Cancer Foundation and aims to raise awareness of oral cancer, a form of cancer that has become much more prevalent in the UK in the last twenty years.
As well as offering free screening for residents, the practice team has also been busy raising funds for the Mouth Cancer Foundation. Recently, staff took part in a 10km walk around the Vale of Belvoir as part of an event organised by the charity. Another walk took place at London’s Hyde Park. Participants were encouraged to wear charity t-shirts and add blue accessories to raise awareness of mouth cancer.
Mouth cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage because most people are unaware of the early warning signs and symptoms. This year, it is particularly important to raise awareness of the symptoms with patients struggling to access regular routine appointments. Check-ups include mouth cancer screening and there are fears that thousands of cases could be missed due to a shortage of appointments.
The main symptoms to look out for include abnormal swelling and lumps, mouth ulcers that take a long time to heal, red or white patches in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, a persistent sore throat and unexplained oral pain or bleeding.
Residents who want to take up the offer of free mouth cancer screening are encouraged to contact the practice directly in November.
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