• 8/8/2004
  • Australian Dental Association
  • By ANDREA MAYES
  • News.com.au

Regular dental checks could save your life, according to the Australian Dental Association.

West Australia branch chief executive Peter McKerracher said dental check-ups were vital in the early detection of oral cancers, which accounted for about 6.5 per cent of all cancers diagnosed in Australia. He said diseases such as diabetes and leukemia could also be seen in the mouth and gums before other parts of the body and dentists played a vital role in their early detection.

“The mouth really is the mirror for the health of your body and we are only now making the connection between overall health and oral health,” Dr McKerracher said. “Early detection of serious diseases like oral cancer is absolutely critical and the survival rate is infinitely higher if they are detected earlier.” He said oral cancers killed more people in Australia than cervical cancer and there was a 70 per cent chance of survival in the first five years if oral cancers were detected early. The survival rate fell to 30 per cent of those diagnosed after the cancer had spread.

August is Dental Awareness Month and Dr McKerracher said the ADA wanted to encourage people to view their dentist as an overall mouth doctor and not just someone who dealt with teeth. “Dentists study the mouth for five years and know what is normal in terms of lumps and bumps, so they are well placed to pick up abnormalities,” he said.

For example, cardiovascular disease may be linked to the health of the gums, while women who suffer gum disease while pregnant often deliver small babies.

Dr McKerracher said smoking was linked to many diseases first detected in the mouth, including oral cancer. Other oral cancer risk factors included heavy alcohol consumption, poor oral hygiene, age and sun exposure to unprotected lips.