Mouth cancer causes more deaths per number of cases than breast cancer and cervical cancer however awareness of it is relatively low. New cases have increased by 49% in the last decade and 135% compared to twenty years ago. Last year, 2722 people in the UK died from mouth cancer. The key risk factors are:
- Tobacco use including chewing betel nut
- Excess alcohol (those who smoke and drink heavily are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer)
- Poor diet
- HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) transmitted through oral sex.
Mouth cancer can develop in most parts of the mouth including the gums, lips, tongue, palate and even the throat. The most common symptoms are :
- Persistent non healing ulcers
Persistent lumps in the mouth or lymph glands
- Pain when swallowing
- Numbness or bleeding from the mouth
- Changes in speech
- Teeth that become loose for no obvious reason
- Tooth extraction sockets not healing
- Difficulty moving your jaw
- Red or white patches or striations in the mouth
Early detection is critical to a full recovery as well as life style changes. In general, if any of the symptoms have been present for more than two weeks, seek medical advice. At Progressive Dentistry, we routinely check for mouth cancer at every examination appointment with a thorough soft tissue analysis. This will involve a detailed history and a soft tissue check. During this part of the examination, we check the tongue, underneath the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheek surfaces, soft palate, hard palate and the entire gum line.
If you have any concerns about mouth cancer or would like some general advice, please contact us.
