Last Updated on 7th December 2015
It’s November which means it is Mouth Cancer Action Month, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer and promoting the importance of early detection in ultimately saving lives. Organised by the British Dental Health Foundation, Mouth Cancer Action Month is your chance to make a difference. By knowing the facts around mouth cancer we will have the ability to stop this disease in its tracks. We have put together 21 facts you really need to know and may shock you about mouth cancer, how many do you know?
1 – In the UK, one person is told they have mouth cancer every 77 minutes.
2 – This is almost 7 thousand people every year.
3 – Mouth cancer claims more lives than testicular and cervical cancer combined.
4 – Mouth cancer takes more lives every year than road traffic accidents on Britain’s roads.
5 – Mouth cancer is diagnosed in more than twice as many men than women but there are more cases in women than ever before.
6 – Shockingly, one in ten have never heard of mouth cancer.
7 – Cases of mouth cancer have increased by a third in the last decade alone.
8 – Survival rates based on a late diagnosis are as little as 50% but chances of survival drastically increase with an early diagnosis to 90%.
9 – Scotland has more cases per capita than in England, Northern Ireland or Wales.
10 – Mouth cancer is one of very few cancers which incidences are actually predicted to increase in the future.
11 – Smoking is the leading cause of mouth cancer.
12 – But HPV is predicted to overtake it as the leading cause of mouth cancer in the next decade.
13 – HPV is predominantly transmitted through oral sex.
14 – Extending the HPV vaccine to include boys of a school age could save thousands of lives.
15 – Excessive use of alcohol is linked to more than a third of mouth cancer cases in men and a fifth in women.
16 – Heavy drinkers and smokers are up to 35 times more at risk.
17 – Mouth cancer can often be spotted in its early stages by your dentist during a thorough mouth examination.
18 – As part of every check-up a dentist is required to carry out a visual examination to look for the early signs of mouth cancer.
19 – Mouth cancer can affect anyone.
20 – Signs and symptoms of mouth cancer include: ulcers which do not heal within three weeks, red or white patches and any unusual lumps or swellings.
21 – If in doubt get checked out by your dentist or doctor as soon as possible.
With your help Mouth Cancer Action Month is the perfect opportunity to fight back against mouth cancer, we want everyone to be Mouthaware and be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer.
Share these facts to spread awareness of mouth cancer to everyone and ensure we are all together in combating mouth cancer.
To find out more about mouth cancer please visit http://www.mouthcancer.org/ and show your support for Mouth Cancer Action Month.
