ORAL (MOUTH) CANCER

Most people have heard of cancer affecting parts of the body such as the lungs or breasts. However, cancer can appear in the mouth, where the disease can affect the lips, tongue, cheeks and throat.

Anyone can be affected by mouth cancer, whether they have their own teeth or not. Mouth cancers are more common in people over 40, particularly men. However, research has shown that mouth cancer is becoming more common in younger patients and in women.

Mouth cancer can often be spotted in its early stages by our dental team during a thorough mouth examination. If mouth cancer is diagnosed early, then the chances of a cure are good.

The risk of developing mouth cancer is greatly increased by smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol, so the risk can be reduced by avoiding this.

Eating a balanced, healthy diet with at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can also help protect against many other cancers.

Visit your dental team regularly, as often as they recommend.

If you have any concerns between your routine appointment, please contact the practice.

More information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mouth-cancer/.