I am sure that many of you reading this article have attended a routine dental check-up and

thought, why is the dentist feeling underneath my chin? Why are they making me move my

tongue into strange positions or pulling my cheeks to the side? Aren’t they just supposed to be

checking my teeth?….

Well, the simple answer is that at every dental examination we are completing a cancer check to

look and feel for any “lumps or bumps” that shouldn’t be there in the neck or mouth.

There are approximately 8000 new cases of mouth cancer each year in the UK which

unfortunately causes more deaths than road traffic accidents within the UK. Mouth Cancer is

twice as common in men than women and 78% of cases occur in the over 55 age group.

The main risk factors for mouth cancer are smoking, drinking alcohol in excess, the human

papilloma virus (HPV) and a poor diet. Drinking and smoking together can make mouth cancer up to 30 times more likely to develop, with smoking being the main cause.

The things to look out for which can be a signs or symptoms of mouth cancer include; ulcers

which do not heal in 3 weeks, lumps or swellings in the mouth with no obvious cause,

unexplained weight loss, red or white patches in the mouth, persistent hoarseness or changes in

voice.

At the Maltings Dental Practice, we promote Mouth Cancer Action Month which runs from 1st -

30th November this year and in previous years the team have done sponsored walks, cycles and

swims to raise money for charity. This year we will be displaying mouth cancer information around the practice and on social media to try and raise awareness.

It is really important for all patients to continue to attend their dental check-ups, including patients

who have a full set of false teeth so that we can continue to check for mouth cancers. Mouth and throat cancers can grow and spread quickly.  If anyone has any concerns then just call our reception team, we are more than happy to take a look, you

aren’t “wasting our time” or “being silly”. We are here to reassure you and if needed help you onto

the right pathway if any further treatment is needed.

If in doubt get checked out, be mouth aware.

Dr Mary Elizabeth Hatton BDS BSc (Hons).

Associate Dentist