Mouth cancer is a dangerous abnormal growth that can affect any part of your mouth.

Mouth cancer can appear as:

• An, often painless ulcer that fails to clear up after about two weeks
• A growth or swelling which has been present for more than two weeks
• Sometimes a red or white patch in the mouth

Most things like this will not turn out to be cancer, but if you have these signs they should be investigated immediately.  Smoking and drinking alcohol increases the risks as does prolonged exposure to sunlight. The chances of getting mouth cancer are greater for people aged over 40 years, but younger people can get it too.

A regular dental examination with your dentist includes checking for any abnormalities, if anything suspicious is found, we immediately refer to a specialist for further investigation.

If detected early, the chances of cure are very good.  At the moment around half of the 4,000 people diagnosed with mouth cancer every year in the UK die of it because it is discovered too late.

Regular dental examinations are advised.