A series of free oral health screenings in Newcastle and North Tyneside are being offered by mouth cancer experts in a bid to raise awareness and provide information on relatively unknown disease .
Health professionals in the area are offering the instant mouth screenings all this week as part of the British Dental Health Foundation's Mouth Cancer Action Week.
The drop-in sessions will begin today at the Manor Walks Shopping Centre. Tuesdays sessions will be held at the Bangladeshi Community Association, followed by the Forum Shopping Centre on Wednesday, the Grainger Market on Thursday, and Killingworth Shopping Centre on Friday.
NHS trust spokesman Amanda Dear said: "Often oral cancer is symptom free, but the warning signs can be detected by a dentist through a simple mouth examination. This is why we would encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of the free service being offered this week.
"Mouth cancer kills more people than cervical and testicular cancer combined but the chances of long-term survival are much better if the cancer is treated early," she added.
Drop-in patients will also receive oral health advice and information on the risks posed by excessive drinking and smoking .
Mouth cancer is responsible for 1,600 deaths in the UK every year, yet research suggests that only one in four Brits have are even aware of the disease .




