Oral cancer is most treatable when it's caught early, and most early signs are visible if you know what to look for. A simple monthly self-exam takes about two minutes and can catch changes long before they'd otherwise come to your attention.
How to Do a Self-Exam
Stand in front of a well-lit mirror. Look at and feel every surface inside your mouth: lips, gums, cheeks, the roof and floor of your mouth, both sides of your tongue, and the back of your throat. Run your fingers along the gums and under the jaw, feeling for lumps or thickened areas.
What to Look For
- A sore, ulcer, or red or white patch that doesn't heal within two weeks
- Lumps or thickened tissue inside the cheeks, on the gums, or under the jaw
- Persistent numbness, tingling, or tenderness anywhere in the mouth
- Difficulty swallowing, chewing, or moving the tongue or jaw
- A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- A hoarse voice or a feeling that something is caught in your throat for more than a couple of weeks
How Often
Once a month is the right cadence for most people. Pick a date you'll remember—the first of the month works well—and stick with it. If you smoke, drink heavily, or have a family history of oral cancer, talk to your dentist about more frequent professional screenings on top of self-exams.
When to Call
If anything you find during a self-exam doesn't go away within two weeks, schedule an appointment. Most findings turn out to be benign, but the ones that aren't are far easier to treat early. Call Weston Center for Plastic Surgery at (954) 507-4540 to be seen.
