Oral Cancer Screening

ORAL CANCER

Oral Cancer Warning Signs

• A persistent sore on your lips, gums, or inside your mouth that doesn't heal within two weeks.
• Repeated bleeding in your mouth without any known cause.
• Swelling, thickening, or lumps in your mouth, neck, lips, or on the tongue, often painless in the early stages.
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing food, or difficulty in speaking or moving your tongue or jaw.
• Numbness or pain in your throat or mouth without any known reason.
• Color changes such as white, scaly patches or red lesions inside your mouth or on your lips.

Preventive Measures

We screen for oral cancer during regular routine check-ups. We feel for lumps, tissue changes in your neck, cheeks, head, and mouth and look closely for sores. Early detection of cancer and prompt treatment is critical. Ask us for more information about preventing oral cancer.

RISK FACTORS FOR ORAL AND OROPHARYNGEAL CANCER: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Warning signs and symptoms of oral and oropharyngeal cancer:

• A mouth sore that does not heal
• A lump or thickened mass in mouth or neck
• A red or white patch in the mouth
• A sore throat or feeling that something is caught
• Voice change
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
• Numbness
• Swelling
• Loosening of teeth
• Weight loss

Pain may not be present with early oral and oropharyngeal lesions. Traumatic oral lesions will resolve or greatly improve after the cause of the trauma is removed (such as a sharp tooth or denture). A biopsy, to rule out or confirm a malignancy, is indicated if an oral lesion persists after two weeks.

WHY WOULD I NEED A BIOPSY?

Just as in the rest of the body, any lump, ulcer, sore, or odd-appearing tissue should be biopsied it if is still present two weeks after whatever is thought to have caused it is removed.

Your Mouth During Cancer Treatment

Call us to schedule a consultation to discuss your individual treatment and we will help make your treatment safer and more comfortable.