Up to 400 new cases of mouth (oral) cancer are diagnosed in Ireland every year, however awareness of this type of cancer remains ‘extremely low' among the public, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has warned.

Cancer of the mouth is a highly lethal disease and is one of the most debilitating and disfiguring of all cancers. At least two Irish people die from it every week and incidence of the disease is increasing, particularly among women and younger men

Cancer of the mouth kills more people annually than cervical cancer, but is far less well known.

Speaking at the IDA's annual conference at the weekend, its new president, Dr Conor McAlister, a Dublin-based dentist, emphasised that dentists are ideally placed to provide frontline screening for mouth cancer. This is essential as an early diagnosis greatly improves the chances of survival.

Dr McAlister pointed out that while cutbacks to the PRSI and medical card dental schemes mean that many people are not subsidised for dental treatment anymore, most people are entitled to a free check-up ‘and should avail of that entitlement'.

"Checking for mouth cancer is not a major inconvenience. Dentists routinely screen for it as part of a painless oral examination and it takes less than five minutes," he explained.

Dr McAlister pointed to the success of the Mouth Cancer Awareness Day, which was held at the Dublin and Cork Dental Hospitals in September of last year. Over 3,000 patients attended for free mouth examinations and six people were diagnosed with mouth cancer as a result.

"Following the success of last year's awareness day, I am delighted to announce we will be staging an expanded awareness day on September 21 this year, when free mouth examinations will be offered at participating dental practices throughout the country, as well as the Dublin and Cork Dental Hospitals. Irregular visitors to the dentist are particularly welcome to attend, as are those who have no teeth and wear dentures," Dr McAlister said.

Research show that smoking and drinking alcohol are the main risk factors for oral cancer and the risk is even greater if a person both smokes and drinks. There is also increasing evidence of a link between mouth cancer and the human papilloma virus (HPV), which may be transmitted by oral sex.