Awareness of mouth cancer – life-saving knowledge

November is Mouth Cancer Action Month, which is a campaign to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. The message to all patients is: ‘if in doubt, get checked out’!

Oral cancer can affect any part of the mouth, including the gums, tongue, inside the cheeks, or lips. Most mouth cancers aren’t caught until they have reached an advanced stage, and this makes treatment and recovery more difficult. Developing a greater awareness of some of the signs can help with an early diagnosis, improving the likelihood of a full recovery. 

Going to the dentist for frequent check-ups, and regularly checking for unusual changes in the mouth can greatly reduce the risks to your health. If you do feel something is out of the ordinary it’s important to visit your dentist as soon as you can.  

Symptoms to look out for 

Early stage mouth cancer can look like an ulcer. Visit your dentist if you have an ulcer in your mouth that isn’t healing, or a lump in your mouth or on your lip that doesn’t go away after a couple of weeks. 

Changes can happen in the cells in the lining of the mouth, which can appear as red or white patches. The red patches are called erythroplakia, and the white patches are known as leukoplakia. Although these aren’t cancers, they can increase the risk of developing oral cancer in future, so it’s important to get them looked at by a dentist if they don’t go away on their own. 

Other symptoms include:  

  • A lump or enlarged lymph nodes in your neck 

  • Unexplained bleeding in your mouth 

  • Trouble moving your jaw 

  • Pain inside your mouth 

  • Difficulty swallowing 

  • Difficulty speaking, or a croaky, hoarse voice 

  • Losing weight without trying 

Who is at risk? 

Although most people are diagnosed between the ages of 66 and 70, people of any age can get mouth cancer. Anyone with symptoms should get them checked out as soon as they can to reduce the risks of the condition becoming serious.  

The exact causes of most oral cancers aren’t clear, but there are some conditions and habits that patients should be aware of that can increase the risk.  

Smoking is the biggest risk factor for mouth cancer. Using smokeless tobacco and chewing betel nut or paan are also linked with the disease. Other risks include drinking too much alcohol, spending too much time in the sun or using sunbeds, or eating a diet high in sugar, fat, salt, and processed or red meat.  

Let your dentist know if you have a family or personal history of cancer – especially lung cancer, and some cervical and oesophageal cancers. If you have a weakened immune system, you may also be at a greater risk. 

Visiting your dentist regularly 

Your dental team are trained to spot the early signs of mouth cancer and so will be able to refer you quickly for further help if there is a problem. This can significantly help to improve the effectiveness of treatment.  

Your dentist or GP will refer you to a specialist if they think mouth cancer is a possibility. The specialist may run tests to confirm whether there is any cancer to be treated, which can include x-rays, or taking a small sample of tissue for a biopsy. 

To discuss risk factors, or if you are concerned about any symptoms, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with one of our dentists. 

Take a look at our practice locator to find your local practice. 


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