The Patient’s Role in Early Detection of Oral Cancer

While an annual screening for oral cancer is essential in prevention and early detection, you are the most important factor in early diagnosis.  You should contact your doctor or dentist immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms.

• Chronic hoarseness
• Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
• difficulty chewing or swallowing
• A lump or thickening in the cheek
• A sore in the mouth that doesn’t heal within two weeks
• A red or white patch on the gums, tonsils, tongue or lining of the mouth
• Jaw swelling that causes dentures to not fit properly
• A feeling that something is caught in the throat which does not go away

Of course, these changes may simply be symptoms of something less serious than oral cancer, but because they are potential indicators of oral cancer, you should pay attention to them.

If you are a tobacco user, pay particular attention to these or other abnormalities in your mouth.  Many cases of oral cancer stem from tobacco use, and tobacco users are at a higher risk for oral cancer than people who do not use tobacco.

If you're in the Atlanta, Cumming, Roswell, or Alpharetta areas, and wish to make an appointment with Dr. Sarah Roberts, please feel free to email or call 678-319-0123.