What is mouth cancer, what are the symptoms, what causes oral and tongue cancers and what are the early signs?

WE all have the basics of dental hygiene drilled into us from an early age.

But when it comes to looking after your teeth, as well as knowing the warning signs of something more sinister, it can be much trickier to get a handle on... here's everything you need to know about mouth cancer.

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What is mouth cancer?

According to the official , mouth cancer "is where a tumour develops in the lining of the mouth."

This may be on the tongue, the insides of the cheeks, the roof of your mouth, or on the lips or gums.

In other words, there are lots of places you can develop tumours which are difficult for sufferers to spot on their own.

While squamous cell carcinoma (abnormal cells in the skin's epidermis) is the most common form , the type of mouth cancer depends on which cell the cancer starts from.

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What are the symptoms?

There are plenty of symptoms to look out for, including ulcers that don't go away within a few weeks.

However, doctors advise keeping an eye on "unexplained, persistent lumps in the mouth and neck" as well as monitoring loose teeth.

It is also a good idea to visit the dentist if you suddenly have "numbness or odd feeling on the lip or tongue" as this could be a sign of mouth cancer.

Alternatively, if you develop any unexplained change in speech (such as a lisp), this is also worth getting checked out.

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What causes oral and tongue cancers?

Unsurprisingly, smokers are at more risk of developing mouth cancer as their teeth, gums, and tongue come into contact with tobacco

But those who combine this with heavy drinking are also putting themselves at much higher risk of developing deadly mouth cancer.

Those who suffer from HPV are also at greater risk.

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What are the early signs?

The early signs of mouth cancer vary from the subtle to big red flags so it's a good idea to swot up on symptoms.

However, if you have been experiencing difficultly chewing, swallowing, and a sore tongue for over two weeks, it is worth making an appointment with your doctor who will test for any other signs of infection.