Now that it is Mouth Cancer Action Month, we’re raising awareness of the symptoms of the disease and what exactly can cause it.
Shockingly, mouth cancer takes more lives than road traffic accidents in the UK, and kills more people than both testicular cancer and cervical cancer combined?
With an early diagnosis, your survival rate is around 90%, but this falls to 50% if caught in the later stages so it’s important to recognise the signs early and act.
Causes:
Tobacco and alcohol can be linked to most cases of mouth cancer. Regular, traditional tobacco consumption such as cigarettes, cigars and pipes are linked as well as chewing tobacco.
If alcohol and tobacco are consumed together, the risk increases.
New research has also linked mouth cancer to HPV (human papillomavirus) too, which is a major cause of cervical cancer.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of mouth cancer can vary greatly and take on different forms. The mouth, tongue and lips can all display symptoms so it’s important to be aware of your whole mouth, rather than just your gums/teeth.
Three serious signs not to ignore include:
– Mouth ulcers that do not heal within 3 weeks
– Red and white patches in the mouth
– Unusual lumps or swellings in your mouth/head/neck
If in doubt, head to your dentist for a check-up.
Full info can be found on the official Mouth Cancer Action Month website here.