For Mouth Cancer Action Month this November, NHS Forth Valley has released new health information materials.

There are over 8,700 new cases of mouth cancer diagnosed in the UK each year. The majority of deaths from mouth cancer occur because of late detection, due to lack of public awareness of the signs, symptoms, and risks. Self-checks for mouth cancer take only 2 minutes, and could be lifesaving.

NHS Forth Valley is working together with various partners to create environments that support people to address the lifestyle and risk factors for mouth cancer, such as smoking cessation support, alcohol interventions and initiatives to increase healthy eating.

Tobacco-use is considered to be the main cause of mouth cancer, with 2 in 3 cases being linked to smoking. Drinking alcohol to excess also increases the risk of mouth cancer, and when done alongside smoking, trebles the risk. Recent research also suggests that HPV could soon rival smoking and drinking as one of the main causes of mouth cancer, which can be spread through oral sex. As a result, NHS Forth Valley is keen to raise awareness around the symptoms of mouth cancer, including:

ulcers that do not heal within 3 weeks
red and white patches in the mouth
lumps or swellings in the mouth, or head and neck area

As smoking tobacco makes people up to ten times more likely to develop mouth cancer, NHS Forth Valley advises that quitting smoking is the best thing that people can do to help reduce the risk and improve their overall health and wellbeing.

For support to stop smoking, please contact the NHS Forth Valley Smoking Cessation Service by email: fv.fvstopsmokingservice@nhs.scot

For further information, including how to carry out self-checks, key messages around early detection, and symptoms and signs, visit the Dental Health website.

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