Mouth Cancer Action Month began on 1 November and organisers, the Oral Health Foundation, have collected new data on the alarming increase in the number of new mouth cancer cases.

The key takeaways are:

  • The number of mouth cancer cases has reached an all-time high in the UK, with 8,864 diagnosed last year

  • Rates of mouth cancer have doubled within the last generation

  • New data show 3,034 people died from mouth cancer in the UK last year - an increase of 40% in the last ten years.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, says the charity is fighting an uphill battle against mouth cancer and more must be done to raise awareness of the disease.

Dr Carter said: ‘While most cancers are on the decrease, cases of mouth cancer continue to rise at an alarming rate. Traditional causes like smoking and drinking alcohol to excess are quickly being caught by emerging risk factors like the human papillomavirus (HPV). The stigma around mouth cancer has changed dramatically. It's now a cancer that really can affect anybody.

‘We have seen first-hand the devastating affect mouth cancer can have on a person's life. It changes how somebody speaks, it makes eating and drinking more difficult, and often changes a person's physical appearance.

‘During Mouth Cancer Action Month, we will be raising greater awareness of mouth cancer. We urge everybody to become more ‘mouthaware' by being able to recognise the early warning signs of mouth cancer and to be aware of the common causes. Most importantly, if you notice anything unusual, please don't delay and seek help from a doctor or dentist.'

For more information about mouth cancer, visit www.mouthcancer.org.