BDA welcomes oral cancer fight acknowledgement

The British Dental Association (BDA) has welcomed acknowledgement from government ministers that dentists can help fight rising cases of oral cancer.

Ministers debated the issue of tobacco control earlier this month and recognised that dentists play a vital role in early diagnosis of oral cancer – a disease which claims more lives in the UK than testicular and cervical cancers combined.

Shadow public health minister Andrew Gwynne said mouth cancer "often gets overlooked" when the general health risks associated with smoking are discussed.

"There is still an alarming lack of public awareness about oral cancer," he remarked.

Chair of the BDA Mick Armstrong said there is a real need for "joined-up thinking across our health service" to combat the rise in oral cancer.

He explained the BDA has told MPs dentists are "uniquely placed to help turn the tide on oral cancer", which has a 90 per cent survival rate but needs to be spotted early for treatment to be successful.