6500
The number of People diagnosed with Mouth Cancer in the UK each year
3250
The number who will die without early detection
50
Number of cases linked to poor diet
30
More likely to develop mouth cancer if you smoke and drink alcohol to excess
18
The approximate number of people who die from mouth cancer each day
50
The increase in mouth cancer cases over the last 10 years
Risk Factors
Alcohol
Excessive use of alcohol is linked to more than a third of mouth cancer cases in men and a fifth in women. Combining heavy drinking with smoking increases the risk of mouth cancer 35 times more that those that don’t, as alcohol aids the absorption of tobacco in the mouth.
Poor Diet
New research has suggested that there is a noticeable risk reduction for mouth cancer with every additional serving of fruit or vegetables. It is therefore  important to maintain a healthy balanced diet as much as possible.
Smoking
This is the leading cause of mouth cancer. Tobacco mixes with saliva to form a deadly cocktail that damages the cells in the mouth, which can make them turn cancerous. It is not known yet whether electronic cigarettes are a cause of mouth cancer, but research is being carried out to test this.
Human Papilloma Virus – HPV
This virus causes warts on our skin and in our mouths. It is increasingly being linked to mouth cancer and it is believed that within ten years it will be rivalling smoking and alcohol as the leading cause of mouth cancer. People with multiple sexual partners are more at risk of catching the virus.