From Loop News Service

As part of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s education outreach efforts, there will be free oral cancer screenings offered by dentists on April 1.

The Cayman Dental Services at the Mirco Centre; the Dental Centre at Fidelity Financial Centre; My Island Dentist in Governors Square; Smiles Dental Clinic in Alexander Place; the Strand Dental Clinic; Merren Dental Clinic on Hospital Road; and Pasadora Family Dental Centre in Pasadora Place, are the seven dental clinics are taking part.

Free throat cancer screenings will also be available at the 7 Mile Clinic in Queens Court on West Bay Road and Cayman E.N.T. Associates in Alexander Place in Dorcy Drive.

Operations Manager at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, Jennifer Weber said that interested participants “are encouraged to visit one of the participating dental clinics to receive their quick and painless screening exam.”

“Oral cancer is a new topic for us in Cayman, and fortunately our dentists answered our calls for help in raising awareness of this rarely discussed, (but fairly common) cancer,” she said.

Oral cancer can develop in any part of the lips, oral cavity or the oropharynx, the part of the throat at the back of the mouth. A more worrying fact is that the number of confirmed oral cancer cases in the Cayman Islands is unknown. Symptoms vary but can include sores or lesions in the mouth; lumps or thickening of the cheek; difficulty chewing, swallowing, or moving the jaw or tongue; white or red patches within the oral cavity; numbness of the tongue or face; a persistent sore throat and hoarseness; or unexplained loose teeth.

Doctors advise that if any of these symptoms persist for three weeks or more, people should see their doctor or dentist.

“Oral cancer may not be as well-known as other cancers, and yet this type of cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide,” said Dr Keelin Fox, dentist at The Dental Centre.

“It has increased by 42 percent in the U.K. in the last 10 years. The majority of oral cancer cases occur in people aged over 50 years, but recent trends indicate a rising incidence in younger age groups.”

Studies suggest that risk factors for this type of cancer include tobacco and heavy alcohol use, sun exposure, previous history of oral cancer and diet. “We encourage patients to come forward on April 1 and be proactive with their health,”

Dr Fox added: “A five-minute pain-free exam could save your life.”

Physicians and dentists advise that people should check their mouth regularly and when brushing teeth, watch for any unusual changes; avoid the risk factors for mouth cancer, especially the combination of smoking and heavy alcohol consumption; maintain a healthy diet, high in fruit and vegetables; use a lip balm with sun block if spending a lot of time outdoors, in order to prevent lip cancer. People who wear dentures are also advised to visit a dentist regularly to undergo a mouth examination.

For more on this story go to: http://loopcayman.com/2015/03/31/cayman-news-free-oral-cancer-screening-on-wednesday/