Mouth cancer kills one person every five hours in the UK and was diagnosed in more than 6,700 people last year.
If caught early, survival rates rise from just 50 per cent to 90 per cent. Our Evesham dentists are passionate about tackling mouth cancer and have invested in state-of-the-art technology to screen our patients – and also any visiting guest – for the early signs of the disease, something that could help save lives.
Evesham Dental Health Team on Broadway Road offers free mouth cancer examinations for patients all year round to help our local community – so book your appointment now. This is a popular free service that attracts people from across Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.
Every one of our patients is screened at every dental health review and this thorough mouth cancer check includes identification of any risk factors, an assessment of the face and neck, and a visual and VELscope inspection.
The VELscope Vx system uses fluorescent light to detect abnormal soft tissue, including cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions that may not be visible to the naked eye.
For most patients we detect nothing of concern and our patients are pleased to receive the good news and peace of mind. If we do find anything abnormal in our patients’ mouths, we have the opportunity to make an immediate referral to a specialist.
November is Mouth Cancer Action Month and we make an extra effort during this month to raise awareness of this terrible disease.
Remember to look out for:
- Ulcers that do not heal within three weeks
- Red and white patches in the mouth
- Unusual lumps or overgrowth of tissue in the mouth
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Difficulty in chewing or moving the jaw or tongue
- Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
- A feeling that something is caught in the throat
- A chronic sore throat or voice change (hoarseness) that persists more than six weeks, particularly smokers over 50 years old and heavy drinkers
- Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
- Neck swelling present for more than three weeks
- Unexplained tooth mobility persisting for more than three weeks – see a dentist urgently
- Persistent nasal obstruction, particularly associated with mucus (clear, containing pus or bloody), discharge causing difficulty breathing through your nose
- Unexplained persistent earache
If you have any doubts whatsoever, please visit us for mouth cancer screening – it could just save your life. Contact us now to book an appointment.
