Symptoms of mouth cancer can affect any part of your mouth including the gums, tongue, inside the cheeks, or lips.
Symptoms can include:
- a mouth ulcer in your mouth that lasts more than 3 weeks
- a red or white patch inside your mouth
- a lump inside your mouth or on your lip
- pain inside your mouth
- difficulty swallowing
- difficulty speaking or a hoarse (croaky) voice
- a lump in your neck or throat
- losing weight without trying
See a GP if:
- you have an mouth ulcer that has lasted more than 3 weeks
- you have a lump in your mouth, on your lip, on your neck or in your throat
- you have a red or white patch in your mouth
- you have pain in your mouth that's not going away
- you're having difficulty swallowing or speaking
- you have a hoarse (croaky) voice that does not go away
A dentist can also help with ulcers, lumps, patches or pain in your mouth.
Important
These symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions.
Having the symptoms does not definitely mean you have mouth cancer, but it's important to get checked by a GP or dentist.
If your symptoms are caused by cancer, finding it early may mean it's easier to treat.
Your dentist or GP will usually ask questions about your symptoms, lifestyle and any other medical conditions you have.
They will usually look and feel inside your mouth. They may also feel your neck and jaw.
You can ask for someone else to be in the room with you while the dentist or GP examines you.
Referral to a specialist
You may get an urgent referral for more tests or to see a specialist in hospital if the GP thinks you have symptoms that could be cancer. This does not definitely mean you have cancer.
Find out more
The following links have information about mouth cancer for other parts of the UK:
- NHS inform (Scotland): symptoms of mouth cancer
- NHS 111 Wales: cancer of the mouth (GIG 111 Cymru: canser y geg)
- NI Direct (Northern Ireland): mouth cancer
