World Cancer Day

Oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation believes a proactive approach to lowering the associated risk factors and more knowledge of what to look for will help to reduce the growing number of people developing the disease.

According to statistics from Cancer Research UK, nine in every ten cases of mouth cancer are linked to lifestyle risk factors, with tobacco use, drinking alcohol to excess, poor diet and the human papillomavirus (HPV) all associated with increased risk.

Latest statistics show that there are 6,767 people diagnosed with mouth cancer every year in the UK – a figure which has increased by 50 per cent in the last decade alone.

Through their on-going Mouth Cancer Action campaign, the British Dental Health Foundation aims to get everyone thinking about whether their lifestyle could be putting them in harm’s way while raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Ahead of World Cancer Day, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, explained how World Cancer Day’s key campaign messages are particularly crucial when it comes to mouth cancer.