Publish date: 17 November 2023
The incidence of mouth cancer is on the rise, with more than 3,000 people in England dying from it in 2021, compared with 2,075 in 2011.
According to the figures by Oral Health Foundation (OHF), this is an increase of 46%, but people in the Warrington and Halton area have a chance to get themselves checked out for the disease during Mouth Cancer Awareness Month.
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals (WHH) is offering free mouth cancer screenings at Warrington Hospital on Wednesday, November 22nd.
Mouth Cancer Action Month is an initiative run by the OHF, which has taken place in November each year since 2009. It aims to raise awareness of the issues surrounding the condition and the symptoms that people should look for, which are:
• a feeling that something is caught in your throat
• a numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
• a chronic sore throat or hoarseness that persist more than six weeks
• an ulcer or white or red patch anywhere in the mouth that does not heal within three weeks
• a lump or swelling anywhere in the mouth, jaw or neck that persists for more than three weeks
• difficulty swallowing, chewing, or moving the jaw or tongue
• an unexplained loosening of teeth with no dental cause If in doubt pop along and get it checked out!
WHH’s dedicated Maxillofacial Team will be offering free mouth cancer screening on Wednesday, from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm.
For more information, see: https://whh.nhs.uk/about-us/news-events-and-features/latest-news/november-mouth-cancer-action-month-if-doubt-get-it-checked-1