While oral cancer isn't as common as lung or breast cancer in Singapore, it still happens, says assistant professor Victor Fan of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore.

The problem - as with other cancers - is late detection.

'Most of the times, you can examine your mouth quite easily, so one should see a dentist or a doctor when there's something unusual,' says Dr Fan.

Abnormalities include feeling a lump or a swelling, white or red patches, or an ulcer that doesn't heal in two weeks to ten days, he says. Ulcers are painful, and soft, and they heal.

An ulcer which is cancerous however tends to be harder, and there might not always be pain, he says.

And if the cancer is spread to the tongue, then the patient might not speak well or even have difficulty eating.

Smokers who are also heavy drinkers face high risk of mouth cancer, being up to 40 times more likely to get mouth cancer.

Indians tend to have a genetic predisposition for mouth cancer, he notes.

Early detection can mean an 80 to 90 per cent chance of survival, says Dr Fan, but if cancer is detected late, then the chances drop down to 20 to 30 per cent. 'So it's quite dramatic. It's important to uncover cancer early.'

The Faculty of Dentistry of the National University of Singapore is holding a symposium on oral health on Nov 7, 9am to 12noon, at the Dental Auditorium, Level 4, Main Building, National University Hospital.

There will be talks related to cleft lip and palate conditions in children, the clinical implications of common medical conditions like diabetes and genetic conditions to oral health and the treatment strategies available, as well as ways of identifying early signs of mouth (oral) cancer and a new technique of oral self-examination.

For information and registration, visit http://www.dentistry.nus.edu.sg/80

This article was first published in The Business Times.