Coventry mum who thought she had an ulcer told she had mouth cancer 10 months later

• Sarah Davies says she was in 'complete shock' following the diagnosis

A mother from Coventry, who was told she had mouth cancer nearly a year after she went to the dentist with an ulcer, is calling for more awareness this Mouth Cancer Action Month.

Sarah Davies, from Coventry, initially believed she had a mouth ulcer in October 2013 after severe toothaches on the left side of her mouth.

Sarah made an appointment to go to the dentist but they could not determine what the problem was.

Three months later, in December 2013, she was feeling worse. Her dentist recommended that she should see a GP - but they referred her back to the dentist and assured her it was a dental problem.

She had a wisdom tooth removed, but there were complications after the surgery. Sarah says: "I had ongoing problems. It wouldn't stop bleeding, I almost had bits of tooth and bone coming out of where the infection was".

Even despite visiting her dentist almost every two weeks, Sarah's condition continued to deteriorate. Six months later, in April 2014, her dentist referred her to a specialist doctor.

By June 2014, Sarah could not eat at all on the left side of her mouth. Desperate, her husband took her to A&E, with Sarah in so much pain that she "didn't know what to do".

Sarah finally saw another specialist who believed there might be a serious problem, as an X-Ray showed the root from one of her teeth seemed to have disappeared.

After some tests, Sarah came back for her results in August 2014, almost a year after her original tooth pain. The doctor informed her that she had mouth cancer.

Sarah says she was "convinced it was an abscess or an infection or that it was to do with a wisdom tooth"

"So when they actually said it's malignant cells and it's cancer, it was the last thing that I was expecting to hear", she adds.

Following her diagnosis, Sarah was in "complete shock". She says: "In the back of my mind I was worried because it had been so long if I was then going to be told, 'well it's too late to do anything and if it was earlier we could have helped you' ".

Sarah had surgery in September 2014 to take the tumour out and then had radiotherapy in November. She had 35 sessions over seven weeks, followed by two sessions of Chemotherapy that ended on Christmas Eve.

However, nearly ten years later, Sarah still struggles with the long-lasting effects of her battle with cancer.

She says: "Eating and drinking are an issue, I have to drink with a straw and I have to hold my nose when I drink because I can't get the suction".

Because of the effects of her radiotherapy, Sarah has developed tinnitus and also requires glasses. Her gums bleed and her teeth are often in pain.

Sarah also developed trismus, which is essentially lockjaw. She struggles to eat as a result, and even going to the dentist to get treatment is problematic as they struggle to see her teeth properly.

Speaking about her journey until now Sarah says: "My family are really supportive and they're great. But the hardest thing is knowing it's always going to be with me and it can't go away and they can't fix it".

"There is life after mouth cancer, although it is different".

But as Mouth Cancer Action Month gets underway this November, Sarah is calling for more awareness and for people to get checked more often.

Sarah says that it is important to get checked even if you think you are at a low risk of developing mouth cancer. She explains: "The sooner you get it looked at and get it checked, the better".

How much of an issue is mouth cancer - and what can you do to get support?

New research from the Oral Health Foundation shows nearly a quarter of people do not know the common signs of mouth cancer.

Also, 97% of people don't know that going to the dentist is one of the most effective forms of protection against mouth cancer.

In Birmingham alone, 33% have never checked themselves for mouth cancer and 32% don't know how to check for signs. In Leicester, 31% have never checked for mouth cancer and don't know how to check for signs.

Nationally, nearly 9,000 people were diagnosed with Mouth Cancer in 2022, with 3,000 people losing their lives.

Dentist and oral health specialist Dr Catherine Tannahill emphasises just how important it is to visit your dentist regularly and the importance of checking for common symptoms.

She says symptoms are, "ulcers that are slow to heal, that take two or three weeks. Red patches, white patches, any kind of thickening or changes of texture. They’re the more common symptoms that are commonly cited".

"But there are more unusual ones: loosening of teeth, a hoarse voice or a sudden loss of voice, or difficulties swallowing, lumps and bumps in the neck as well".

She says that if you have any of the symptoms listed or any concerns about mouth cancer to “go and see your dentist, and if you can’t get to a dentist, go to a doctor, the sooner we can diagnose it the easier the treatment is".

If you or anyone else you know requires support for mouth cancer or related issues, please look at the NHS Website, or if your symptoms are severe in nature, contact 111.

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