NHS Tayside Raising Awareness of Mouth Cancer
NHS Tayside is supporting Mouth Cancer Action Month by hosting a series of events throughout November.
The NHS trust is hoping to raise awareness of mouth cancer by inviting local people to get involved in events and screening sessions. Mouth Cancer Action Month is a national campaign run by the British Dental Health Foundation, which aims to raise the profile of mouth cancer and encourage people to look out for signs and symptoms.
NHS Tayside Senior Dental Officer, Gillian Elliott, said that the trust is supporting the campaign because it is vital that public awareness of mouth cancer is increased. At the moment, many people are unaware of the symptoms they should be looking out for and as a result most cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Regular check-ups and screening checks can help to ensure early detection, which increases survival rates by up to 90 percent.
In the UK mouth cancer kills more than 2,000 people every year, yet research shows that the majority of people are unaware of the symptoms. Figures also suggest that fewer people are attending regular dental check-ups. Seeing a dentist on a regular basis enables dentists to spot the early signs of mouth cancer and this means that treatment can be arranged as early as possible.
Mouth Cancer Action Month runs throughout November and dentists are eager for as many people as possible to get involved in the campaign. Screening tests are very short and they do not cause any pain or discomfort and a two minute visit to the dentist could potentially save your life.
Join this Discussion
