A quick guide to what's on this page Should I see a salivary gland cancer specialist? It can be very difficult for GPs to decide who to refer to a specialist. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced guidelines to help GPs decide who should be seen urgently by a specialist. Urgent referral guidelines According to the NICE guidelines, you should ideally get an appointment within 2 weeks for an urgent referral. The guidelines say you may need urgent referral to a specialist if you have Swelling in your mouth that does not go away after 3 weeks An unexplained lump in your neck that has changed in the previous 3 to 6 weeks Unexplained swelling that does not go away in the glands under your ear or around your lower jaw Unexplained pain on one side of your head or neck for more than 4 weeks, with earache for no apparent reason Any other signs or symptoms affecting your mouth that can't be explained and have lasted for more than 6 weeks Your doctor may also want to refer you to a dentist urgently if you have a loose tooth for more than 3 weeks, for no apparent reason. Do bear in mind that some of the symptoms above can be caused by other less serious medical conditions. They don't necessarily mean that you have cancer of the salivary gland. If you are still worried If you think your GP is not taking your symptoms