Mouth cancer campaigners believe that many sufferers are being treated unequally and face years of having to fund their own restorative dental treatment.

People with mouth cancer have no guarantee to receive restorative treatment paid for by the NHS. Mouth cancer campaigners are calling for the inequality to be put right in the new commissioning arrangements for NHS dental contracts, to make sure that mouth cancer sufferers are exempt from dental charges.

Dr Chetan Trivedy, Clinical Director at Birwood Dental Care Limited – supported by the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF) – expressed their concern in an open letter sent to the BDJ and other media. An e-petition has also been established to seek professional and public support, and encourage debate in the House of Commons. Mouth cancer campaigners believe there would be a public outcry if patients with any other form of cancer were asked to contribute to the cost of recovering from cancer treatment.

'It is only fair that mouth cancer sufferers have the right to receive the same level of treatment and support as any other cancer patient,' said Dr Trivedy.

A recent YouGov survey of 1,495 cancer patients for Macmillan Cancer Support found that two thirds (66%) reported an increase in costs as a result of travelling to hospital and/or an increase in household expenses. For some mouth cancer patients, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Mouth cancer campaigners are also concerned that the lack of free examination for mouth cancer from NHS dentists is hindering improvements in mouth cancer survival rates.

This November is Mouth Cancer Action Month. To sign the e-petition visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22063.