Mouth Cancer Awareness Month runs from November 1–30, 2011.
Mouth cancer kills one person every 3 hours in the UK because of late detection. Catching this disease early really increases the chances of survival to more than 90%! Some people do not have signs that they have it, but others see early signs, for example, bleeding in the mouth, red or white patches, and constant soreness.
An increasing number of young people are being affected, and 25% of these cases have no significant risk factors. In its very early stages, mouth cancer can be almost invisible, making it easy to ignore.
It is important to visit your dentist regularly and check your mouth regularly to spot early symptoms, such as:
- A sore or ulcer in the mouth that does not heal within 3 weeks
- A lump anywhere in the mouth
- A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty in chewing or moving the jaw and tongue
- A feeling that something is caught in the throat
- A chronic sore throat or voice change (hoarseness) that lasts more than 6 weeks, particularly in smokers over 50 and heavy drinkers.
- Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
- Neck swelling for more than 3 weeks
- Unexplained tooth mobility has persisted for more than 3 weeks (see a dentist urgently).
- Persistant nasal obstruction or mucosa causing difficulty breathing through the nose
- Unexplained persistent earache
Reduce Your Risk By:
- Not smoking or chewing tobacco, gutkha/paan
- Have a healthy diet.
- A high number of mouth cancers in non-smokers and young adults have been associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV may be transmitted through frequent oral sex in adolescents and young adults.
It is important to visit your dentist or doctor at once if you notice any abnormal problems or are not sure.