Health Service Warns Against Oral Cancer
Hunter New England Health, a public health service in New South Wales, Australia, has issued a warning against oral cancer.
Hunter New England Health has encouraged people to visit their dentist on a regular basis to try and ensure that cases of oral cancer are diagnosed and treated early. Oral cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer in Australia and three new cases are diagnosed each day.
Oral cancer is becoming increasingly common but awareness of the disease is low, as it does not have a high media profile like other types of cancer, including breast, testicular and cervical cancer.
Drinking alcohol, smoking, a poor diet and sun exposure have all been identified as risk factors for oral cancer and health experts are worried about the increasing prevalence of the disease, especially amongst young people.
Oral cancer can be treated if it is detected early, which is why regular check-ups are so important, as a dentist will be able to identify the symptoms of the disease and arrange treatment. If oral cancer is not treated, it can become more advanced and may spread to other parts of the body. Survival rates can be increased by up to 90 percent of the condition is diagnosed early.
Dr Lanny Chor, clinical director of the oral health service at Hunter Health, says that dentists can play a vital role in the treatment of oral cancer but patients must take the responsibility of attending regular check-ups. It is also important for patients to be aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for, which include red or white patches in the mouth, abnormal lumps or swelling in the mouth or throat and sores which take a long time to heal.
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