Mouth Cancer Action Month is a charity campaign run by the Oral Health Foundation. It takes place throughout November and raises awareness of mouth cancer and shares the important message of being mouth aware. Because of the differing types of cancer that mouth cancer incorporates, mouth cancer negligence can easily arise.

Mouth Cancer

Mouth cancer is where a tumour develops in a part of the mouth. It is also known as oral cancer, and can be found on the surface of the tongue, the inside of the cheeks, the roof of the mouth, the palate, the lips or the gums. It can also develop in the saliva glands, the tonsils, and the part of the throat that connects your mouth to your windpipe (pharynx). However, these types of mouth cancer are less common.

Mouth Cancer Symptoms

According to the NHS, the symptoms of mouth cancer include:

  • Mouth ulcers that are painful and do not heal within several weeks
  • Unexplained, persistent lumps in the mouth or the neck that do not go away
  • Unexplained loose teeth or sockets that do not heal after extractions
  • Unexplained, persistent numbness or an odd feeling on the lip or tongue
  • White or red patches on the lining of the mouth or tongue These can be early signs of cancer, so they should also be checked
  • Changes in speech, such as a lisp

If you have any of these symptoms, and they last more than three weeks, it is important that you visit your GP or a dentist. This is particularly true if you drink or smoke.

Mouth Cancer Negligence

Some of the most common forms of mouth cancer negligence we see here at The Medical Negligence Experts include misdiagnosis and delays in diagnosis. These issues are important to mouth cancer action month as they highlight the importance of research and problems that someone suffering may face.

There are many reasons for delays in diagnosis, and they can happen at any stage; from you presenting the symptoms through to the eventual correct diagnosis. Some of the most common reasons for delays in diagnosis include:

  • Failing to spot symptoms
  • Ignoring symptoms
  • Failing to test patients
  • Incorrect or misread test results
  • Failing to refer patients for further tests

If any of these happen to you, then the results can be devastating. Delays in diagnosis can cause conditions to become harder to treat, or in the worst cases, conditions can be incurable.

When a person shows red flag symptoms, but a doctor or medical professional misinterprets the symptoms or ignores them, this can lead to a delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis. If this happens, then you may be able to make a medical negligence claim.

Similarly, if a doctor or medical professional misinterprets a person’s symptoms, then there might be a delay in treatment, or they may receive incorrect treatment.

How We Can Help

Here at The Medical Negligence Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with medical negligence claims. This includes mouth cancer negligence. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138761 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable experts.