Oral health checks on offer in Mouth Cancer Awareness Week
Regular visits to the dentists will help to ensure any early signs of mouth cancer are detected
Oral health checks and expert advice on mouth cancer will be available in Poole during Mouth Cancer Awareness Week, 15-21 November, as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the risk factors and symptoms linked to this little-known cancer, which kills one person every three hours due to late detection.
Early diagnosis of mouth cancer can improve survival chances by up to 90%, yet many people are unaware of the risk factors and symptoms linked to the disease.
Poole Hospital’s team of clinical specialists will host drop-in clinics from 10am-1pm on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th November in the Hospital’s outpatients department. These consultant-led clinics – which are open to anyone – will offer people the opportunity to discuss symptoms and find out more about the disease.
The clinical team will also be on-hand at information stands from 16-20 November in the Hospital’s Dome, Outpatients area and Health Information Centre, and in the Dolphin Shopping Centre from 16-19 November. They will be joined by oral health advisors, the alcohol Brief Intervention Team and the local ‘Smoke Stop’ service.
The chances of getting mouth cancer are significantly reduced by:
- Stopping smoking
- Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink
- Eating healthily
- Reducing the risk of contracting HPV by avoiding oral sex
Symptoms to look out for include:
- A sore or ulcer in the mouth that does not heal within three weeks
- A lump or overgrowth of tissue anywhere in the mouth
- A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Difficulty in chewing or moving the jaw or tongue
- Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
Mr Parkash Ramchandani, Consultant Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon at Poole Hospital said: “Treatments for mouth cancer have developed significantly over recent years, and Poole Hospital has an expert team of surgeons, physicians, specialist nurses, dentists, speech therapists and dieticians who can help. However, early detection is key to successful treatment, and it is vital that people become aware of the symptoms they need to look out for.
“Better still, people can significantly reduce their risk of contracting oral cancer by adopting a healthier lifestyle – 75% of cases of mouth cancer are linked to risk factors such as smoking, drinking, eating unhealthily and HPV. Regular dental check ups are also extremely important, as your dentist will look out for early signs of mouth cancer.”
To find out more about mouth cancer, visit rdoc.org.uk or www.mouthcancer.org
Date: 9 November 2009