05 Dec

Beat Oral Cancer in London this Winter

This winter, we’re determined to fight oral cancer and we are doing everything we can to raise awareness and encourage
patients to pop in and see for a quick and painless screening check.

About oral cancer

A recent survey carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation revealed that 10 per cent of people are unaware of the risks of mouth cancer, despite the fact that this disease kills more people in Britain than testicular and cervical cancer combined. Oral cancer affects the soft tissue in the mouth, including the tongue and the throat. At present, survival rates for oral cancer are around 50%, but early diagnosis can boost this up to 90%, which is why screening is so important!
The biggest risk factors for mouth cancer include smoking, excessive drinking and HPV infection. HPV is short for human papilloma virus. HPV, which is spread easily, is also linked to cervical cancer. If you smoke and drink frequently, you are around 30 times more likely to develop oral cancer than a non-smoker who never drinks or drinks in moderation.

Spotting the warning signs

Warning signs to look out for include:

  • white or red patches in the mouth
  • development of lumps in the mouth or throat
  • abnormal swelling
  • sores that take longer than normal to heal (more than 2 weeks)

Some other symptoms may include a persistent sore throat and experiencing difficulty with swallowing, which may be associated with swelling in the throat.

How we aim to beat oral cancer

Screening is at the heart of our fight against oral cancer, and we recommend screening to all our patients. Oral cancer can affect people of all ages. Screening checks only last a few minutes and there’s absolutely no pain involved. We simply use advanced technology to identify changes in the soft tissue in the mouth and throat. These changes can be detected long before they are noticeable to the human eye and therefore we are able to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.