In 2023, more and more people are missing out on their six-month dental checkup, either because they can't afford it, or because their dental practice has no available appointments. Many shrug their shoulders and think: 'Oh well, if I get toothache, I'll deal with it later.' But actually, things could get much worse than that… Mouth cancer now kills more people in the UK than road traffic accidents, and rates have risen by 49% over the last decade. Regular dental checkups are an important way to prevent it, because they enable dentists to spot symptoms early on. And that makes a big difference to treatment: according to the Mouth Cancer Foundation, the 10-year survival rate lies between 18% and 57%, depending on where the cancer strikes and how early it's diagnosed."One in five people say they're not making dental appointments because they can't afford them."Major risk factors for mouth cancer include smoking, drinking and poor diet. But even if you live a healthy lifestyle, you're not safe: a quarter of cases have no significant associated risk factors. Which means regular dental checkups are absolute necessity. This is one of many reasons that YuLife is helping companies offer their employees group dental insurance, in association with Bupa. This makes it easier for YuLifers to get treatment, including routine checkups, at either an NHS practice or a private clinic. And claims can be made immediately for most preventative work, often at the clinic itself.We spoke to Philip Lewis, president of the Mouth Cancer Foundation, to learn more about this terrible (yet preventable) disease, and the part that group dental insurance can play in the fight against it. Rising concernDespite growing awareness of mouth cancer, Philip explains, the problem is not going away: in fact, cases are mounting. "Mouth cancer rates have more or less doubled in the last 20 years, and increased by almost a third in the last 10," he says, "And although we're aware of a number of major risk factors, such as tobacco, recently extra things have been added to the mix. Most significantly, these include a rise in infection with certain strains of the human papillomavirus."Having a YuLife membership helps employees to develop healthy habits and make the kind of wellness choices that reduce the risk factors for mouth cancer. That's because the YuLife app rewards users for completing daily tasks such as walking, cycling and meditation, with YuCoin which they can spend on shopping, experiences or supporting charity and environmental projects. The app – which typically attracts industry-leading levels of engagement amongst employees – also acts as a central wellness hub for company-specific programmes, challenges and events.However, given that even the healthiest lifestyles won't make you immune from mouth cancer, getting regular dental checks is still a crucial prevention measure. And in the UK in 2023, this is being severely compromised by a widespread shortage of dental appointments. System under strain"We're getting enquiries every day from prospective patients who can't get [an appointment]," says Philip. "Which is a big problem, because a lot of mouth cancer is picked up at routine checkups. And so if you can't get one, you're in a bit of trouble."It's an issue affecting the whole of the country, he notes. "It's worse for NHS dentists than for private dentists, but even the latter are now under strain. During the pandemic, the number of patients we could see each day dropped dramatically, due to all the health and safety precautions we had to take at that time. That's left everyone with a huge backlog, which we're still working through.”The role of insuranceAs for solutions, Philip is clear that group dental insurance has a part to play. "One in five people say they're not making dental appointments because they can't afford them at the moment," he points out. "So if companies can offer their employees insurance that covers this, that can only be a good thing. Not just for the individuals but for society in general. Because people who've had mouth cancer tend to need an increased amount of dental treatment afterwards, and greater medical needs as a whole."People who've been diagnosed late tend to need very aggressive treatment, he explains, which can seriously reduce their quality of life. "They often can't eat properly afterwards. They can't speak properly, or speak at all. They tend to become depressed and may even keep themselves away from the rest of society. "This affects their family, their loved ones, their friends, as well as themselves. And nearly all of this could be prevented by early diagnosis. So a dental checkup isn't only something that looks at the condition of people's teeth, it can actually save their lives."You can learn more about how YuLife's flexible group dental insurance plans work here. The Mouth Cancer Foundation shares details of how to check for common mouth cancer symptoms on its website, here, and actively campaigns for more information about mouth cancer to be available at pharmacists, doctors and hospitals. The organisation also supports people who have the disease, and is always looking for willing volunteers. Anyone who's interested should get in touch via the website, or by attending an event such as the annual Mouth Cancer Walk.