Toothpaste tubes will carry symptoms of cancer, in a bid to get more people to seek help earlier.
A partnership between the NHS and Asda will provide advice which warns of the signs of mouth cancer, and encourages people to contact their GP or dentist.
The new packaging on toothpaste and mouthwash will warn users to seek help if a mouth ulcer lasts three weeks or more. It will also provide a link to more detailed NHS information about mouth and throat cancer.
From this month, Asda’s own-brand will feature NHS advice. The toothpaste will be available in more than 500 Asda shops in the UK.
Other symptoms of mouth cancer 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; and 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, and unexplained loosening of teeth can also be possible signs of cancer.
While most of these symptoms are common and can be caused by other conditions, getting checked as soon as possible is vital as early detection gives the best chance of successful treatment.
The new NHS partnership comes as the health service continues to urge young people to consent to having the HPV vaccine, which can help reduce the risk of cancers caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), including mouth cancer.
The vaccine is offered on the NHS to all children aged 12 to 13 (school year 8) and is also available for free on the NHS for all girls and women under 25 and boys born after Sept 1, 2006.
Mouth cancer is the eighth most common type of cancer in the UK, with more than 11,700 new cases diagnosed annually. It is twice as common in men as in women, and nearly eight in ten cases occur in individuals over the age of 55.
Prof Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: “Early detection of mouth cancer can help save lives and 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.
Sam Dickson, Asda’s vice president for Commercial Strategy, Operations & Own Brand, said: “We’re proud to launch this collaboration with the NHS by putting mouth and throat cancer awareness on our own brand oral hygiene products including mouthwash and toothpaste.”
Mahesh Kumar, president of the Mouth Cancer Foundation and an oral maxillofacial surgeon, said: “Early detection is key in the fight against mouth cancers to save and improve lives. Any cancer caught early usually incurs a less invasive treatment plan. It is incredibly important to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms among the general public.”
The NHS has previously partnered with supermarket Morrisons to put information about breast cancer and testicular cancer on underwear labels, and worked with Tesco on cancer campaigns on lavatory paper and men’s underpants.
Chris Byrne, 66, from Bewdley in Worcestershire, was diagnosed with mouth cancer just weeks after he first noticed an unusual ulcer on his tongue.
He said: “I remember my wife telling me I should get that looked at, so I went along to my dentist who referred me into the head and neck team at the local hospital. At the time I wasn’t sure what it was, but I never suspected cancer.”
A biopsy on his tongue confirmed cancer. Because it was caught early Chris didn’t need to have radiotherapy after his surgery.
He had a 10-hour operation to remove part of his tongue and a string of lymph nodes. Doctors were able to rebuild his tongue using skin from his forearm.
Six years on, Chris is cancer free and said: “I’m so grateful that I didn’t ignore that mouth ulcer and got it checked out. My speech is good and my neck scars barely noticeable.
“I realise now just how important it is know your own body and to seek help if you notice something that isn’t normal for you.
“That’s why the new messaging on these toothpaste and mouthwash packets are so important.”
