| Professor Graham Ogden, of the Unit of Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine at University of Dundee Dental School, joined 4th and 5th year dental students in speaking to other members of the campus and passing out information at the Students’ Association.
Mouth cancer rates have doubled over the past twenty years and in Scotland continue to rise quicker than in the rest of the UK.
The majority of cases occur in people aged over 50, but there is a trend towards an increase in younger people.
Scotland’s dietary and social problems can be blamed for the high rates of oral cancer — at least 75% of cases are associated with tobacco and alcohol, and a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables can play a role in prevention.
Professor Ogden said, “While the majority of people know cancer can arise in the mouth and that smoking is implicated, few realise there is a strong association with alcohol misuse.
“We strongly advise people attend regular dental examinations, which provide the opportunity for screening the mouth for dental and mucosal (mouth lining) disease.”
As part of the awareness-raising exercise this week, there will be —
l a display in the university’s Dental School and Hospital;
l stalls and stands in Springfield Health Centre in Arbroath and Whitehills Health Centre in Forfar;
l an information board in the Unit of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Ninewells Hospital;
l a manned display in Morrison’s Supermarket in Arbroath from 10 am — 4 pm on Thursday. |
