Each November, the team at Bancroft Dentistry join hundreds of other practices around the country in supporting the Oral Health Foundation’s Mouth Cancer Action Month.
Every year over 1,800 people in the UK lose their battle against mouth cancer. It has become one of the most common cancers, but it is often diagnosed late, therefore survival rates are low. But it needn’t be the case! Self-checking for mouth cancer is easy and quick to do – 45 seconds could save your life!
Your dentist at Bancroft Dentistry will perform a cancer screening at every check-up. For most people that will be six monthly. However, it is good to know what to be on the look-out for yourself, just in case something crops up in between times.
A lot of people don’t realise, but mouth cancer can involve the lips, tongue, cheeks, and the throat. This means checking places other than just inside the mouth, but don’t worry, it’s not complicated! There are just a few simple steps to check yourself out for possible signs of mouth cancer… All you need is your bathroom mirror and clean hands.
If you do notice anything that seems out of the ordinary, then do book in with your dentist for them to have a look. Usually it will be something harmless, but as the Mouth Cancer Action Month saying goes, ‘If in doubt, get it checked out!’
Regards,
Jo Norton
Dental Nurse
Bancroft Dentistry
