Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cancer
Oral cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow in areas such as the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat. The good news is that early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes, which is why routine screenings are so important—especially if you notice anything unusual.
Regardless of your age, you should book an oral cancer screening if you’ve experienced any of the following symptoms:
- Discoloured patches inside the mouth or on the lips (white, red, or dark areas)
- Lumps, thickened tissues, or rough spots that weren’t there before
- Sores that don’t heal, numb areas, or persistent bleeding
- Changes in how your tongue feels, altered sense of taste, or difficulty swallowing
Risk Factors for Oral Cancer
Certain habits, health conditions, and environmental factors can increase your risk of developing oral cancer. You may be at higher risk if you:
- Smoke or use tobacco products (including cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco)
- Consume alcohol regularly, especially in combination with tobacco use
- Have a history or risk of HPV (human papillomavirus) infection
- Spend a lot of time in the sun, especially without lip protection
- Follow a poor or unbalanced diet
- Have a family history of oral cancer
- Are male, as oral cancer tends to occur more frequently in men
- Have been diagnosed with leukoplakia (a white or grey patch in the mouth linked to precancerous changes)
If any of these apply to you—or if you’ve noticed unusual changes in your mouth—it’s time to schedule a screening. Oral cancer is often painless in the early stages, so don’t wait for symptoms to worsen before seeking care.
Prevention, Detection, and Treatment of Oral Cancer
Early Detection Saves Lives
The goal of oral cancer screenings is to catch cancer or precancerous changes as early as possible—when treatment is most effective. During your screening, your dentist will carefully examine the inside of your mouth, lips, tongue, and under your tongue for unusual sores, red or white patches, or thickened tissue. They may also gently feel around your jaw, throat, and neck to check for any lumps or irregularities.
What Happens if Something Is Found?
If your dentist notices anything suspicious, you may be referred for further testing. This could include:
- A biopsy, where a small tissue sample is taken for lab analysis
- Imaging tests such as X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI to evaluate deeper tissue
If oral cancer is diagnosed, treatment is customized based on the type, stage, and location of the cancer. Common treatments may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these.
How to Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer
While not all cases are preventable, you can take meaningful steps to lower your risk:
- Quit tobacco use (including cigarettes, cigars, vaping, and chewing tobacco)
- Limit alcohol consumption, especially when combined with smoking
- Use SPF lip balm and minimize prolonged sun exposure
- Maintain a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables
- Practice good oral hygiene, and check your mouth regularly for any new or unusual changes
- Visit your dentist regularly for checkups and screenings
Prevention, detection and treatment of oral cancer
Treatment will be planned on a case by case basis and will heavily depend on the severity, type and location of the suspected cancer.Spotting early signs of cancer
The goal of an oral cancer screening is the early detection of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. During the exam, your dentist will look over the inside of your mouth and under your tongue for red or white patches or suspicious sores. Your dentist will also feel the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or odd textures and may also feel the outside of your throat and neck for lumps.
Diagnosis and treatment
If signs of cancer are detected during your oral screening you may be asked to undergo additional testing such as a biopsy (where a small piece of the suspicious tissue is removed for lab examination) or imaging tests like Xrays, ultrasounds, CT scans or an MRI. To remove confirmed tumours, surgery or chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be necessary.
Prevention of oral cancer
You can take steps now to help prevent oral cancer later. To help reduce your risk of oral cancer see your dentist regularly for routine exams, stop using tobacco products and drink responsibly, be mindful of your exposure to direct sunlight and use U/V protective lip balms, eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and veggies and during your routine brushing and flossing rituals, remember to check your mouth for signs or symptoms so that you can report any concerns to your dentist.
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Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any risk factors—such as tobacco use, frequent alcohol consumption, HPV exposure, or a family history of cancer—it’s wise to ask your dentist about oral cancer screening during your regular checkups. Even if you don’t have risk factors, you should schedule an appointment if you notice a suspicious sore, discoloured patch, or lump in your mouth.
During a screening, your dentist will carefully examine your lips, cheeks, tongue (including the sides and underside), roof of your mouth, and gums. They’ll also gently palpate your jaw, throat, neck, and lymph nodes to feel for any unusual lumps or changes in texture.
You can do a simple self-check at home:
- Wash your hands thoroughly
- Use a mirror and bright lighting to inspect your lips, gums, tongue, and roof of your mouth
- Pull back your lips to check behind them
- Use clean gauze or a cotton pad to gently grip and examine the sides and underside of your tongue
- Feel inside your cheeks and along your jawline for lumps, bumps, or tenderness
- Watch for colour changes (red, white, gray, or yellow patches), areas that feel rough, or sores that haven’t healed within two weeks
If anything feels off, don’t wait—book an appointment to have it looked at by a dental professional.
Early signs may appear as small, flat patches that are:
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As a rule of thumb, any spot that hasn’t healed within two weeks or feels different than the rest of your mouth should be checked out by your dentist or doctor.
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