Be mouth aware and together we can make a stand against mouth cancer
Mouth cancer may be one of those diseases you might not know much about, or even have heard of before, but worryingly every year more than 8,300 people in the UK are diagnosed with mouth cancer, and that number is rising.
This disease claims more lives than cervical and testicular cancer combined, yet caught early enough the chances of surviving mouth cancer are nine out of ten. So that’s why we are supporting November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month, a national charity campaign which aims to address and tackle the growing problem of mouth cancer in the UK.
At 543 Dental Centre we are dedicated to raising the awareness of mouth cancer all year round. We want to see more mouth cancers diagnosed at a very early stage by teaching our patients about the symptoms to look out for while encouraging everyone to be more vigilant about changes in their mouth.
What to look out for
Mouth cancer can strike in a number of places including the lips, tongue, gums and cheek.
Three signs and symptoms that should never be ignored are:
- Mouth ulcers that do not heal within three weeks
- Red and white patches in the mouth
- Unusual swellings or lumps in the mouth or head and neck area
If you spot any of these common symptoms, speak to your dentist or doctor straight away. But we also want all our patients to be ‘mouthaware’ – in other words if you are worried about any unusual changes in your mouth just remember – ‘IF IN DOUBT, GET CHECKED OUT’!
All of our clinical team here at 543 are trained to spot the symptoms of mouth cancer and we are happy to see anyone who has any concerns at any time. Mouth cancer screening only takes a few minutes, it’s non-invasive and we have now made it a part of our routine check-ups for all our patients’ peace of mind.
Want to find out more?
On Wednesday 13th November, along with dental practices across the UK, we are having a special 543 Blue Wednesday Open Day where our team will be decked out in everything blue – blue uniforms, blue ribbon badges, blue t-shirts or even blue wigs, face paint or lipstick! This fun event is totally free and open to everyone to help raise awareness of mouth cancer and show support for this worthwhile, potentially life-saving campaign. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Now is the perfect time to book your checkup. Phone us on 01482 565 488 today!
