More than just lip service

Every year 8,337 people in the UK are diagnosed with mouth cancer. That’s almost one person every hour and numbers are rising at an astounding rate.¹ The problem is that people appear to be more aware of cancers that affect other parts of the body, even though the latest research indicates that deaths from mouth cancer have increased by 22% compared with five years ago.² Oral cancer is preventable and early detection is essential to increase the chances of successful treatment.³ Nevertheless, during 2020, dental services have been severely disrupted and thousands of patients have been unable to attend routine checks, including screening for oral cancer. Consequently, the early stages of mouth cancer may have been overlooked.