UK’s National Health Service uses toothpaste for mouth cancer warnings

London: Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) on Saturday announced a new supermarket partnership that will see toothpaste and mouthwash bottles caution users about the symptoms of mouth cancer to encourage early detection.

Starting in July, Asda's branded oral hygiene products in over 500 stores across the country will feature NHS advice on the symptoms to watch out for.

Millions of these toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles will encourage people to contact their general practitioner (GP) or dentist if they notice any potential signs of concern.

“Early detection is key in the fight against mouth cancers to save and improve lives,” said Mahesh Kumar, the Indian-origin president of the Mouth Cancer Foundation and an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon.

“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 advice on oral hygiene products will go a long way to highlighting the importance of looking after our oral health and acting sooner when something out of the ordinary is discovered,” he said.

England's state-funded health service said its partnership with Asda aims to raise awareness of symptoms that could indicate cancer such as an ulcer that lasts for three weeks or more.

Symptoms of mouth cancer also 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.

“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,” said Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England.

While symptoms are common and can also be caused by other conditions, getting them checked as soon as possible is vital. Figures from the Mouth Cancer Foundation show that it is the eighth most common type of cancer in the UK, with over 11,700 new cases diagnosed annually. The disease is twice as common in men as in women, and nearly eight in 10 cases (78 per cent) occur in individuals over the age of 55.

“Asda sells over 2 million of these everyday items each year, so making this small change to our packaging means we can make a big difference in encouraging shoppers to be more aware and to highlight what they should do if they find any new or unexplained changes,” said Asda Vice President Sam Dickson.

The new NHS partnership was launched to mark World Head and Neck Cancer Day on July 27 and includes a drive to encourage young people to get the HPV vaccine, which can help reduce the risk of cancers caused by HPV including mouth cancer. The vaccine is offered on the NHS to all children aged 12 to 13 and is also available for free on the NHS for all girls and women under 25 and boys born after September 2006.

According to NHS England, the incidence of head and neck cancers has surged by over 60 per cent in the country in recent decades, with developed countries experiencing the largest increase in oropharynx cancer – which has one of the poorest five-year survival rates.