The NHS has partnered with Asda to put mouth cancer symptoms on toothpaste and mouthwash in a bid to raise awareness.
The pair are teaming up to provide advice on millions of toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles, with calls for the public to contact their GP or dentist if they notice any possible symptoms of mouth cancer.
The guidance will also include a link to more detailed information about mouth and throat cancer on the NHS website.
Asda’s own brand of oral hygiene products will feature the advice in more than 500 Asda stores across the UK.
Symptoms include:
- A white or red patch in the mouth that does not heal within three weeks
- A lump or swelling in the mouth, jaw, or neck that lasts for more than three weeks
- Difficulty swallowing, chewing, or moving the jaw or tongue
- Numbness in the tongue or other areas of the mouth
- A sensation of something being stuck in the throat
- A chronic sore throat or hoarseness that persists for more than six weeks
- Unexplained loosening of teeth.
Mouth cancer detection
Professor Peter Johnson is national clinical director for cancer at NHS England. He said: ‘Early detection of mouth cancer can help save lives.
‘This fantastic new partnership with Asda will be vital in raising awareness of the signs and in supporting the NHS’s ambition to diagnose more cancers at an earlier stage.
‘By placing health messaging on products like toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles that people use every day, we’re encouraging people to be vigilant about potential symptoms of mouth cancer and to get checked early.
‘Like many other cancers, mouth cancers have a much better prognosis if found early – raising awareness is a crucial step. While many of these symptoms won’t be caused by cancer, we’d encourage anyone with any concerns to come forward and contact their dentist or GP.’
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