Oral Cancer

Most changes in the mouth are harmless and resolve within a couple of weeks. Anything on this list that persists beyond two weeks is worth having looked at — not because it is likely to be cancer, but because checking is quick and finding it early changes outcomes:

• A change in the way your teeth or dentures fit together
• Oral sores that bleed easily or do not heal
• Lumps, thickening, rough spots, or crusty or eroded areas in the mouth
• Red or white patches on the tongue, gums, or lining of the mouth
• Difficulty swallowing, chewing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue

• Tobacco use in any form — cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco
• Heavy alcohol use, particularly in combination with tobacco
• Sun exposure, which is a risk factor for cancer of the lips
• A previous head or neck cancer diagnosis
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, associated with cancers at the back of the throat, base of the tongue, and tonsils

Having a risk factor does not mean you will develop oral cancer, and people with none of them can still be diagnosed. That is the argument for screening everyone, at every routine visit.