NHS raise awareness for mouth cancer campaign

NHS Shetland is urging people to check their mouths while they are brushing their teeth each day.

Word of mouth is the key to raise awareness of cancer, according to the public dental service as they back a campaign to support Mouth Cancer Action Month.

NHS Shetland is urging residents to be more ‘mouthaware’ and to recognise the early warning signs of mouth cancer, as part of the campaign. 

Shetlanders are reminded that a simple 45-second check is often all that’s needed to identify anything unusual and professional guidance should be sought if something doesn’t look quite right.

Angela Hopwood, oral health improvement Nurse, for NHS Shetland said: “Early diagnosis improves our chances of beating mouth cancer from 50 per cent to 90 per cent so it is crucial that we know what to look out for and that we do not hesitate in seeking advice from a health professional.”

Ms Hopwood said that while people brush their teeth they should check for anything out of the ordinary. 

She added that an ulcer that does not heal within three weeks and red or white patches which do not clear up can be signs of mouth cancer.