Imagine… John Lennon’s tooth in Finglas

THE dreaded trip to the dentist will be transformed into a Beatlemania tribute day for Northsiders next week when they get the chance to pose with part of John Lennon’s tooth while looking after their oral health.

It’s all happening at Finglas Dental Care where a free oral cancer-screening day is taking place this Friday (February 8) and it promises to be a trip to the dentist you won’t forget – for good reasons that is.

Dentists will don Beatles costumes, music from the

‘fab four’ will ring-out throughout the surgery and customers will get the chance to pose for pictures with a necklace incorporating John Lennon’s DNA taken from his tooth.

It’s hoped that the Beatlemania event will entice members of the public to drop into the dentist’s surgery for a free and efficient cancer screening.

Owner of the surgery, Paul Fitzsimmons, hopes the day will raise awareness among the public of mouth cancer and how quickly it can be identified.

“I hope the whole Beatlemania theme and the attraction of John Lennon’s tooth will put some fun into the dreaded visit to the dentist,

? he told Northside People.

“It’s also appropriate because the people most at risk of oral cancer would be those who would have been fans during the Beatles era. It’s a nice chance for them to reminisce in a friendly environment while getting an important screening carried out.

“The screening takes about one minute so people can get peace of mind fairly quickly unlike screenings for many other cancers that require x-rays and other tests.

“We hope that by mixing an important issue with something fun that people will be more inclined to drop in and get screened.

?

John Lennon’s molar DNA was taken from a tooth bought by a Canadian dentist for the jaw-dropping sum of

?¬25,000. The tooth has since been broken down into three necklaces and is being used to spread the message of regular dental checks.

Over 300 cases of dental cancer are identified in Ireland each year and this type of cancer kills more Irish people than cervical cancer or skin melanoma.

According to the National Cancer Registry, approximately 50 per cent of all mouth cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage which can result in more complex treatment with a greater impact on the patient’s quality of life and overall survival.

The oral cancer-screening day will take place in Finglas Dental Centre, located next to O’Riordan’s Pub in Finglas Village, from 9am to 4pm.