Dentists can help with oral cancer awareness

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 18. July 2025

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Oral cancer constitutes a major front in the global fight against non-communicable diseases, and heightened public awareness of risk factors and cancer types is fundamental to improving treatment outcomes. Underscoring the pronounced regional differences at play, researchers in Saudi Arabia, Syria and Australia have highlighted a notable lack of oral cancer awareness among populations in the Middle East and North Africa. According to the authors, the study’s findings emphasise the vital role dental professionals play in enhancing public awareness of oral cancer through targeted educational initiatives.

Previous research has identified a concerning increase in the global prevalence of oral cancer. Based on global data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer publication Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, a 2016 study found that oral cancer accounted for 3.8% of global cancer cases in 2012 and that demographic changes were expected to fuel a 62.0% increase in incidence by 2035.

Aiming to assess awareness of risk factors, clinical signs, symptoms and preventive measures in individuals in the Middle East and North Africa region, the study surveyed 4,197 adults across Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, the UAE, Qatar and Oman.

Among those surveyed, fewer than half were able to recognise the clinical signs of oral cancer, around one-third could list established risk factors and just over half were aware of recommended protective measures. Only about one in three respondents displayed good overall knowledge of risk factors, although roughly three-quarters correctly cited tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Younger adults, residents of upper-middle- and high-income countries, and participants who had never used smokeless tobacco exhibited the highest levels of awareness. Knowledge of human papillomavirus as a contributory factor was particularly limited: just over a quarter of respondents recognised its prevailing link with the disease. Encouragingly, respondents who had received information about oral cancer from dentists showed markedly better awareness of the virus and the risks associated with it.

Sex and economic status were also found to influence awareness; female participants and those from upper-middle- and high-income countries exhibiting a greater understanding of signs, symptoms and preventive strategies. The higher awareness displayed by women was attributed to potentially greater levels of health consciousness and exposure to health education through media platforms. The authors suggested that targeted awareness initiatives designed to reflect sex- and country-specific needs and actively involving dental teams may help to improve human papillomavirus vaccination uptake as well as oral cancer detection and survival rates.

Describing the lack of awareness as concerning, the authors concluded that the results “underscore the crucial role of dentists in increasing awareness and educating the public about oral cancer”.

The study, titled “Public awareness and knowledge of oral cancer in 13 Middle Eastern and North African countries”, was published online on 6 March 2025 in JAMA Network Open.

Topics:

Preventive Dentistry

Tags:

Dental research Middle East Oral cancer Patient education Public health Smokeless Tobacco Tobacco

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