Excessive Alcohol Linked To Mouth Cancer

One of the primary risk factors for mouth cancer is excessive intake of alcohol; it can increase the possibility of developing the cancer by up to four times. For this reason, mouth screening events were organised across Tyneside last week to detect people at higher risk for mouth cancer.

Macmillan Nurse Specialists and Oral Health Promotion staff from the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust led a team of Foundation Dentists at the sessions in Newcastle community locations.

Alcohol combined with tobacco makes up a deadly cocktail so that people who drink and smoke excessively have a 30 times higher chance of developing mouth cancer. Alcohol helps tobacco to be absorbed into the mouth.

Head and Neck Macmillan Specialist at the Freeman Hospital, Amanda Dear described the examination process for mouth cancer as an easy and simple way to improve awareness about mouth cancer in the area. With early detection of the disease proven to alter survival chances from 50% to 90%, the team was enthusiastic about attracting as many participants as possible for the screening campaign.

Dear explained that the screening dentists looked for particular symptoms in the mouth area, including non-healing mouth ulcers, unusual swelling or lumps, and white or red patches.

The slogan for Mouth Cancer Awareness Month is “if in doubt, get checked out.” Dear urged people who were concerned about their oral health, to come for the screening sessions and to at least speak to the staff conducting the sessions.

The Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr. Nigel Carter said that the disease incidence had grown by more than 45% and expressed alarm at the lack of awareness about mouth cancer. Speaking about the demographics of the disease, Carter said that previously, mouth cancer used to primarily affect males aged over 40, but that this had changed in the current generation. “Changes in lifestyles amongst women and younger people and their attitudes towards drinking and smoking have meant that these groups are increasingly in danger,” he explained.

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