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Report highlights impact of COVID-19 on UK's oral health

​A new report by Align Technology reveals that more than two million dental appointments may have been affected during the first lockdown while mouth cancer referrals were down by around 90%.

Mouth cancer specialist Professor Mike Lewis says he normally receives 100 oral cancer referrals over the same period of time; during lockdown, he received only three. And with a second lockdown looming, this is set is set to only get worse.

'Avoidance of routine dental care and routine check-ups isn’t without risk,' said leading dentist and President of independent think tank The Pandora Group, Mark Cronshaw. 'Roughly half of the population is estimated to suffer from some form of chronic periodontal (gum) disease. This infection has been associated with over 50 different medical conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, plus an increased susceptibility to COVID-19. Furthermore, 12,000 people a year develop oral cancer, some of which are identified at dental check-ups.'

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