Take action against mouth cancer

Nik Sisodia discusses the risk factors for the big C.

Diagnoses for all types of cancer have declined dramatically since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Having been forced to close earlier in the year as part of a nationwide lockdown, dental practices are only just returning to a sense of normality, meaning that many cases of mouth cancer may be going undetected. This is particularly alarming considering incidents of newly diagnosed mouth cancers were on the rise before the pandemic. Sadly, an estimated 2,722 people in the UK now lose their life to mouth cancer each year, emphasising the importance of early detection, which can boost the chances of survival from 50 to 90 per cent.

Having a comprehensive understanding of the various risk factors for mouth cancer is key to improving disease awareness among patients. Mouth Cancer Action Month provides the ideal opportunity for dental professionals to engage with patients and the wider community about the prevention and early detection of mouth cancer, which is vital given that there is a concerning lack of disease knowledge within the general population. In fact, three quarters of British adults admit that they cannot identify the major signs and symptoms of the condition.