Mouth-cancer deaths fear over NHS dentist shortage

Lack of access to dentists is costing lives because mouth cancers are not being spotted or treated early enough, a health charity has told BBC News.

The disease killed more than 3,000 people in 2021 - up 46%, from 2,075 a decade ago, latest figures obtained by the Oral Health Foundation show.

And last year, a BBC News investigation revealed 90% of UK NHS dental practices were not accepting new adult patients.

The government has announced plans to increase dental-training places by 40%. It also said the NHS was treating more people for cancer at an earlier stage than ever before.

Oral Health Foundation chief executive Nigel Carter says dental check-ups "are a key place for identifying the early stage of mouth cancer".

"With access to NHS dentistry in tatters, we fear that many people with mouth cancer will not receive a timely diagnosis," he adds.

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Source: BBC News, 8 November 2023