Mouth Cancer is a silent killer and it is on the rise. Whilst most cancers are declining in their frequency, there has been a rise of over 50% in mouth cancer rates since the year 2000 and it is not he 6th most common cancer in the world. In the UK there is on average a death every 4 hours due to mouth cancer. Men are twice as likely to develop mouth cancer than woman and it is more common in those over 50. Drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco can increase your chance of mouth cancer especially when used excessively. It is important to remember that mouth cancer can still affect people who don’t smoke or drink and can even occur at younger ages and even in your teens.
Signs/Symptoms of mouth cancer
The symptoms of oral cancer include:
- Development of a white or red path in the mouth which do not heal within 3 weeks
- Having difficulty in breathing or swalloing
- unusual lumps developing in the mouth
What can you do
In most cases mouth cancer causes no pain and so it does undetected until it has spread to other areas of your body. It is important that you visit the dentist regularly (normally twice per year) for regular oral cancer screening. Along with checking the health of your teeth and gums our Glasgow based dentists will check your mouth at every exam visit for oral cancer.