National shortage of dentists in UK causing rise in oral cancers

Data attained by a Freedom of Information Request shows that there have been 34 diagnoses of oral cancers in York between January and April this year.If that continues for the full 12 months of 2023, there will be 102 diagnoses by January 2024.The previous peak in the last six years came in 2021 when 87 people were diagnosed with oral cancers.

Mark Jones, a campaigner who founded Toothless in England, said: “Alarming as they are, these figures come as no surprise to us. A regular check-up with a dentist is the equivalent of going for oral cancer screening as signs of oral cancer are the first thing they check for. But such a simple activity is being denied patients as increasingly we are seeing dentists withdrawing from the NHS dental contract.“If oral cancers are left undiagnosed and untreated, then any chance of a favourable outcome for patients is severely narrowed. If we invest in NHS dentistry today, we improve the nation’s oral health, we save lives and save the NHS from spending on cancer treatments which could have been avoided in the first place.”Meanwhile, Bupa York Dental Care at Holgate Park, which offers NHS and private services, will close on June 30 due to issues hiring dentists. The York practice has a target of 13,717 check-ups a year, which it has struggled to meet blaming national staffing issues.British Dental Association Chair Eddie Crouch said: “My colleagues are on the front line in the battle with oral cancer, and early detection really is key. Now the early signs risk going undetected as demoralised dentists walk away from an underfunded and overstretched system.“This condition claims more lives than car accidents. Things will only get worse until ministers step up and save NHS dentistry.”A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We want to get more mouth cancers diagnosed at an early stage by encouraging everybody to be more vigilant about changes in their mouth.“Never leave a mouth ulcer unattended for more than three weeks, and don’t ignore any unusual lumps or swellings or red and white patches in your mouth. If you do notice any changes in your mouth, please speak to your doctor or dentist immediately.“The most effective ways of preventing mouth cancer from happening is to stop smoking or using tobacco in other ways, such as not chewing tobacco, ensuring you do not drink more than the recommended weekly guideline for alcohol and eating a healthy, balanced diet.”