Cancer survivor Chris Byrne, 66, is urging people to “seek help” if they notice any unusual ulcers in their mouth. After spotting an odd ulcer on his tongue, Chris was diagnosed with mouth cancer weeks later.

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.”

Following a biopsy on his tongue, cancer was confirmed, but fortunately, due to early detection, Chris avoided radiotherapy post-surgery. He underwent a 10-hour surgery to remove part of his tongue and several lymph nodes. Remarkably, doctors reconstructed his tongue using skin from his forearm.

Chris said: “I’m proud of the scar on my arm and my new tongue – a reminder that I did the right thing and didn’t hesitate going to see my dentist.”

His ordeal has led him to co-found a local chapter of The Swallows head and neck cancer charity, aiming to provide support to others and their families embarking on their own battles with head and neck cancer, reports Bristol Live.

Six years after his diagnosis, Chris, from Bewdley in Worcestershire, is now 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.”

In a life-saving collaboration, Chris shares his tale as NHS partners with Asda to add vital health advice via toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles, urging people to promptly visit their GP or dentist upon spotting any signs indicative of mouth cancer. Commencing this month, Asda will include NHS guidelines on the packaging of its own-brand oral care products, allowing this critical information to be accessible throughout 500-plus Asda stores nationwide.

Detailed NHS advice will be featured on each item, complemented by a direct link to additional resources regarding mouth and throat cancer on the NHS website. By spotlighting symptoms, particularly persistent ulcers enduring longer than three weeks, this initiative seeks to bolster awareness and spur potentially lifesaving early check-ups.

Symptoms indicative of mouth cancer are not limited to persistent white or red patches in the mouth, but extend to lumps, swelling in the neck that doesn’t subside after three weeks, and troubles with swallowing, chewing, or articulation of the jaw or tongue. Additionally, individuals should be attuned to any numbness within the mouth, the impression of an obstruction in their throat, persistent soreness or voice changes exceeding a six-week frame, and any sudden unsteadiness of teeth all potential heralds of the disease.

Despite the fact that these symptoms can frequently stem from less serious conditions, prompt consultation with healthcare professionals is critical, as early diagnosis significantly amplifies the likelihood of successful intervention.

NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, 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.

“Like many other cancers, mouth cancers have a much better prognosis if found early raising awareness is a crucial step, and while many of these symptoms won’t be caused by cancer, we’d encourage anyone with any concerns to come forward and contact their dentist or GP.”

The collaboration was unveiled on World Head and Neck Cancer Day on July 27, coinciding with the ongoing campaign urging youngsters to accept the HPV vaccine. The jab, known for slashing the risks of HPV-related cancers including mouth cancer, is provided via the NHS to all 12 to 13-year-old children and is also gratis for girls and women under 25 years old, as well as boys born post-September 1, 2006.

According to the Mouth Cancer Foundation, this illness ranks as the UK’s eighth most prevalent cancer, with over 11,700 fresh diagnoses each year. It predominantly affects men, twice as often as women, and nearly eight in ten cases (78%) are diagnosed in people aged 55 and above.

Sam Dickson, Asda’s vice president for commercial strategy, operations and 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. Asda sells more than two 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.”

Mouth Cancer Foundation President and Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon, Mahesh Kumar, highlighted the importance of early detection: “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.”

He also stressed the significance of public awareness: “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.”

Mouth cancer symptoms

• An ulcer that lasts for three weeks or more.