Download Oral Cancer Awareness Month 24.03.14

MEDIA ALERT – REGULAR DENTAL CHECKS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY 1ST APRIL 2014
INTERVIEWS:
FOUNDER OF THE MOUTH CANCER FOUNDATION –
DR VINOD JOSHI
To set up an interview please call Media Ambitions on 0208 940 2222.
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month in Americai. The Mouth Cancer Foundation is supporting
colleagues in the USA by reiterating its advice to everyone in the UK to be aware of the early signs of
mouth cancer and visit their dentist regularly.
A regular dental examination is vital for maintaining good oral health and an appointment with a dentist
can also help detect mouth cancer.
Worldwide the disease affects 650,000 people a year and it is the 6 th most common type of cancer. In the
UK there are more than 8000 people diagnosed with mouth cancer every year and around 60,000 people
will be diagnosed in the next decade.
The majority of people realise that routine dental check-ups can prevent cavities, gum disease or root
canal. Few understand that one appointment with a dentist can also help detect other, sometimes lifethreatening, medical conditions such as mouth cancer.
Early warning signs for mouth cancer may be easily overlooked by patients, it is important to see a dentist
who is more likely to notice the early symptoms such as lumps or irregular tissue changes in the neck,
head and cheeks. Early detection and rapid treatment can save lives.
The Founder of the Mouth Cancer Foundation Dr Vinod Joshi says “All too often mouth cancer patients
are diagnosed late. We are encouraging everyone to have regular checks at their Dentists and ask their Dental
Practice about Mouth Cancer Screening. Our Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme also encourages
dentists to routinely screen for mouth cancer. The scheme helps dentists to know what they are looking for and
how to check and refer patients. This will allow head and neck cancers to be caught earlier.”
For more information visit the Mouth Cancer Foundation at www.mouthcancerfoundation.org
-ENDS-
For general press enquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Laverack or Izabela Nair
Media Ambitions - 020 8940 2222
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.mediaambitions.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Mouth Cancer Foundation – www.mouthcancerfoundation.org
The Mouth Cancer Foundation is a registered charity no. 1109298.
The Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme aims to improve outcomes for head and neck
cancers in accordance with The British Dental Association’s occasional paper for the early detection and
prevention of oral cancer and NICE guidelines. It offers a realistic approach for dentists who seek to
adopt best practice in oral cavity examination and opportunistic screening. The scheme embraces recent
Care Quality Commission, Information Governance and Clinical Governance requirements and
necessitates the recommendation by the General Dental Council for continuous professional
development for the management of oral cancer for dentists.
The Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme is open to any dental practice whose
clinicians are registered with the GDC. For more please contact the Mouth Cancer Foundation via
[email protected] or call +44 (0) 1924 950 950 for more information.
About Mouth Cancer
 Around 60,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade.
 In the UK, 7,700 people were diagnosed with Mouth Cancer in 2011.
 Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According to the World Health
Organisation, up to half of current smokers will die of a tobacco-related illness – including mouth
cancer.
 Drinking to excess can increase the risk of mouth cancer by four times. Those who smoke and
drink are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
 Mouth cancer is twice more common in men than in women, though an increasing number of
women are being diagnosed with the disease.
 Age is another factor, with people over the age of 40 more likely to be diagnosed, though more
young people are now being affected than previously.
 Poor diet is linked to a third of all cancer cases.
 Experts suggest the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), transmitted through oral sex, could overtake
tobacco and alcohol as the main risk factor within the coming decade.
 Cancers can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, and adjacent areas like the throat,
salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites in the head and neck area.
Symptoms include:
 An ulcer or white or red patch anywhere in the mouth that does not heal within 3 weeks.
 A lump or swelling anywhere in the mouth, jaw or neck that persists for more than 3 weeks.
 A difficulty in swallowing, chewing or moving the jaw or tongue.
 A numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth.
 A feeling that something is caught in the throat.
 A chronic sore throat or hoarseness that persists more than 6 weeks.
 An unexplained loosening of teeth with no dental cause.
More information about Mouth Cancer is available at the Mouth Cancer Foundation web site
www.mouthcancerfoundation.org or by emailing [email protected]
i
For more information on Oral Cancer Awareness Month visit
www.oralcancerfoundation.org.
Approximately 43,250 people in the U.S. will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer this year.