North Shields man shares mouth cancer story to encourage others to visit the dentist regularly
A great grandad from North Shields has shared his story of surviving a mouth cancer scare in a bid to encourage others to see their dentist on a regular basis.
Trevor Richardson happened to bump into his dentist in a local shop, and it was after this chance meeting that the 67-year-old was found to have abnormal cells, which could potentially have been fatal. Trevor mentioned to his dentist, Ewan Bramley, that he had a mouth ulcer that was causing him problems, and agreed to go into the clinic a couple of days later. Within a week, Trevor was undergoing treatment to remove part of his tongue and prevent the potentially harmful cells from spreading.
At the time, Trevor thought it was a normal ulcer on his tongue, but his journey following the shop encounter shows just how important it is to keep up to date with dental checks. Trevor said that he was incredibly lucky to have treatment when he did, and as Mouth Cancer Action Month launches, he wants to encourage others to be aware of the symptoms and signs of mouth cancer.
Trevor admitted that he had the ulcer for a long time before seeking help, and if he had waited any longer, the story could have had a very different ending. Mouth cancer has become increasingly prevalent in the UK, but studies suggest that public awareness of the disease is very low. Recently, a report suggested that rates had increased by almost 50 percent in the last decade.
Dentists in the UK carry out screening checks as part of standard routine check-ups, but patients are also advised to see their dentist if they notice signs such as slow-healing ulcers or sores, difficulty swallowing, unexplained oral pain, lumps or swelling in the mouth or throat and red or white patches. A persistent cough and a tingling sensation in the tongue are other signs to look out for.
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