Free mouth cancer screening available across the East Riding

01 November, 2010

The Salaried Dental Service at City Health Care Partnership and NHS East Riding of Yorkshire have set up two open sessions across the region, to raise awareness, provide advice and carry out free mouth cancer screening sessions.

The sessions are free and people can drop in with no appointment between 9.00am-3.30pm on Monday 15 November 2010 at The Courtyard in Goole and Tuesday 23 November 2010 at Bridlington Spa in Bridlington.

Gill Greenwood, Specialist in Special Care Dentistry at City Health Care Partnership, would like to raise awareness of the disease and encourage more people to get checked regularly:

“The cases of mouth cancer are increasing on a yearly basis and unfortunately, tobacco use and drinking alcohol are the main risk factors, accounting for 75% of cases in the UK. We have set up these sessions to encourage people to take notice of this disease. If it is caught early the chances of survival are transformed to more than 90% of cases.

“Although cases are higher in those who drink, smoke or have a poor diet, it is important that people remember that it can affect anybody, whether you have all your teeth or no teeth at all.  Mouth cancer kills more people than cervical cancer and testicular cancer combined, so we have set up two locations across the region to offer free screening and advice between 9.00am and 3.30pm, no appointment is necessary.”