Dietary and mouth cancer awareness initiative featured in the British Dental Journal
A public engagement initiative delivered by Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE) in collaboration with the University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Dental School has featured in the British Dental Journal.
The paper highlights the Diet and Mouth Cancer Awareness Day held at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, which brought together dental professionals, educators and dietitians to raise awareness of the links between diet, oral health and mouth cancer.
The event engaged patients, visitors and hospital staff through interactive activities, educational resources and discussions about reducing risk factors for mouth cancer. One popular feature demonstrated the hidden sugar content of everyday foods and drinks, helping people better understand the relationship between diet and oral health.
The publication emphasises the growing evidence that healthy dietary patterns can play an important role in reducing oral cancer risk alongside established lifestyle factors such as avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol consumption. It also highlights the importance of community outreach in areas where access to dental care is limited.
Co-author Alison Brown said: “It is always a highlight in my diary when we have this day at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. It is such a privilege interacting with the public, raising awareness of not only head and neck cancer but whole-body health and representing the University of Plymouth. Days such as this need to be held on a wider scale considering the facts from literature!”
The authors conclude that initiatives like this can make a meaningful contribution to improving public awareness, encouraging healthier lifestyles and supporting earlier recognition of mouth cancer, ultimately helping to improve health outcomes.
The article, Dietary and mouth cancer awareness at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, appears in the British Dental Journal (Volume 240, Issue 11, June 2026). Read the full article here.
