Oral Cancer.

The “c” word is probably one of the most feared and devastating medical terms we can ever encounter in the course of his or our life. For some people, hearing about a cancer diagnosis is paralyzing, especially in the case of mouth or oral cancer.

Usually diagnosed at its late stages, oral cancer is considered a “common” cancer. This is a concern since oral cancer mortality rates exceed that of other common cancers. 

With the advice of your Shreveport Dentist, here are some essential steps and instructions on how to check for mouth cancer at home:

Before we begin, we need to de-mistify some medical terms mentioned below. We mention bidigital palpation a few times. This is the medical term for the oral examination where your doctor or dentist uses the thumb and forefinger of one hand to rule out abnormalities. You can do this at home, before requesting a professional exam.

Lips and cheeks

Using your fingers or through bidigital palpation, feel your lips for any soreness and hard lumps. Furthermore, be on the lookout for any white or red sections which should not be there.

Tongue Cancer Detection

Again, using bidigital palpation, examine the sides and the underside of your tongue for any lumps and unusual white and red patches. Ensure your tongue is extended as far as it can go for a thorough self-examination (or with the assistance of your housemate).

Check your tongue for any abnormalities and be on the alert for any soreness that doesn’t go away.

Mouth Cancer Detection

Thoroughly feel and inspect the floor of your mouth. Be on the lookout for any signs of inflammation and soreness, and any white and red patches.

Explore the roof of your mouth and check it for any soreness or inflammation. This does not include injury caused by food burns or benign sores. 

Gums and Tonsils Cancer Detection 

Check out your gums for any soreness, discoloration or unexplained bleeding. For the tonsils, you will need to extend your tongue as far out as possible to check for any abnormal growth, inflammation and discoloration,

Neck check

Lightly apply pressure on the area around your neck for signs of inflammation or enlarged lymph nodes which usually indicate infection.

In Addition to physical self-checks involving the mouth and neck areas, look for symptoms like the following:

• Mouth sores that don’t resolve themselves within two weeks
• Discolored patches in the mouth tissue
• Random swelling or bumps and lumps in the mouth area
• The sensation that something is always caught in your throat
• Unexplained bleeding or pus originating from a sore or lesion
• Jaw and/or tongue pain, earache
• A relentless headache
• Painful swallowing

Tobacco use and alcohol consumption are among the main risk factors for oral cancer. 25% of oral cancer cases occur in people without these habits. It is important to be vigilant of the aforementioned information. Be sure to do periodic self-checks for oral cancer. In addition, this is especially when your family already has a history of these types of cancer.

If, for any reason, you want your Shreveport dentist to do a thorough oral cancer check on you, be sure to let Dr. Kacos know on your next visit. All of our new patient exams include a free check for mouth cancer.