Manchester Dentist Supports Calls For Free Dental Treatment For Mouth Cancer Patients
A Manchester dentist has backed calls for free dental treatment for patients who have been diagnosed with mouth cancer.
Tariq Drabu, owner of Langley Dental Practice in Middleton, has urged the Department of Health to offer free dental treatment for oral cancer patients. Mr Drabu is supporting pleas made by the British Dental Health Foundation; the calls come after a BBC investigation revealed that patients with mouth cancer still have to pay for NHS dental treatment.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, described mouth cancer as a “particularly debilitating” form of cancer and said that patients should not be in the situation where they are worrying about funding dental treatment after going through intensive treatment, which is often very traumatic.
Mr Drabu said that his dental practice is making a conscious effort to raise awareness of mouth cancer, as some people do not even know that you can develop cancer in the mouth. The practice provides oral cancer screening and Mr Drabu and the dental team take time to discuss causes and risk factors with patients and to educate people about the symptoms, so that they are aware that they need to see a dentist as soon as possible if they do spot a potential warning sign.
Mouth cancer is becoming increasingly common, yet awareness of the disease remains low and this means that many cases are diagnosed at a late stage when the chance of survival is much lower. Unlike other forms of cancer, survival rates have barely changed over the last 5 years and dentists are eager to change this and increase the chance of survival. Symptoms of mouth cancer include red or white patches in the mouth, ulcers that take a long time to heal and abnormal lumps in the mouth or throat.
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