29 Sep October Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian women and it is a year-round battle.

At Putney Dental surgery we take a moment this October to honour those who have lost the battle against breast cancer those undergoing treatment and the survivors.

Make your appointment for your Dental Check-up and receive a complimentary Pink Mask.

Putney Dental Surgery will make a gold coin donation to Breast Cancer Research for every patient booked for an appointment in October.

In 2021, it is projected that 20,030 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer, including 19,866 women and 164 men. An average of 55 people per day*

With those odds, most of us know someone who has or will be diagnosed with breast cancer sometime in their lives. We have mothers, fathers, sisters, friends and neighbours who fight the disease every day.

The inspiring news is that the chance of surviving at least five years (five-year relative survival) has increased from 74.0 per cent in 1986-1990 to 91.5 per cent in 2013-2017. [i]

Breast Cancer and your dental health:

According to a study in the International Journal of Cancer Research, women with poor oral health or gum disease are 11 times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Researchers believe the increased risk is in part due to inflammation caused by gum disease, which allows bacteria and viruses to enter the blood stream, causing the body to be more vulnerable to other threats. As the body works hard to fight off the invaders, all that work can suppress the body’s immune response. The reduced immune response and abnormal cell changes, result in certain cancers, including breast cancer.

Inflamed, red and soar gums should never be ignored. These are symptoms of gum disease. Dr Patel recommends that everyone should get regular check-ups at least every 6 months to prevent gum disease.

If you are diagnosed with cancer, it’s important to resolve dental problems before cancer treatment begins. Your oncologists and dentists will work as a team to develop a treatment plan. It is recommended that a patient goes into cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy with excellent dental health because the treatments themselves can also cause oral health issues like dry mouth, painful ulcers and inflammation of the soft tissues. During treatment it is important to continue with your dental hygiene routine with a soft toothbrush.

With the Covid 19 restrictions easing and the great vaccination uptake in the community we welcome back all our patients for their routine dental check-ups.

Please call us for an appointment to ensure we can screen you as per our Covid Safe Plan Ph 98097110

*bcna.org.au

 [i] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2021 Cancer data in Australia. Cat. no. CAN 122. Canberra: AIHW. Viewed 29 June 2021;