Public awareness of mouth cancer has been criticised as “too low” by the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF), which found that 90 per cent of sufferers surveyed failed to seek immediate treatment for symptoms.
Despite being aware of the disease, many said they were unaware that their problems could be mouth cancer and delayed visiting a healthcare professional, instead self-medicating with over-the-counter products.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the BDHF, said: “An awareness of the risk factors and symptom recognition by the public is a critical issue in determining survival rates, as early detection greatly improves the chances of survival.”
He encouraged the public to be aware that any abnormalities or discomfort that persists for more than three weeks should be assessed by a dental professional.
Cancer Research UK lists smoking tobacco and drinking large quantities of alcohol as two of the key causes of mouth cancer, with approximately 5,300 people diagnosed with the disease each year.
