The short answer
An oral cancer screening is when a dentist or doctor looks at and feels inside your mouth for anything unusual. It is quick and painless and often part of a routine dental checkup. People who use tobacco or alcohol heavily, or who have certain HPV infections, are at higher risk. Report mouth sores or lumps that do not heal.
Oral cancer screening is a quick look and feel of the mouth, lips, and throat during a dental or medical exam.
It is painless and often part of a routine dental checkup.
Tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, and certain HPV infections raise the risk of mouth and throat cancers.
Expert groups have not found enough evidence to recommend routine screening for all adults without symptoms, but dentists commonly check.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
An oral cancer screening is when a dentist or doctor looks inside your mouth and feels your neck to check for anything unusual. It looks for early signs of cancer in the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, roof and floor of the mouth, and the back of the throat.
The check is quick and painless. It is often just part of a routine dental visit, and you may barely notice it is happening.
An oral cancer screening is a simple look and feel, usually built into a regular dental checkup.
What the dentist or doctor checks
During the exam, the provider looks and feels for changes. They usually:
- Look at your lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, and the roof and floor of your mouth
- Ask you to move your tongue so they can see the sides and underneath
- Look at the back of your throat
- Feel the sides of your neck, under your jaw, and around your throat for lumps
They are looking for sores, lumps, thick spots, or red or white patches, and for anything that seems different from healthy tissue.
The exam covers the whole mouth and throat, plus the neck and jaw.
Who is at higher risk
Some people have a greater chance of developing mouth or throat cancer. The main risk factors are:
- Tobacco. Smoking or chewing tobacco in any form raises risk.
- Alcohol. Heavy drinking raises risk, and combining alcohol with tobacco raises it much more than either alone.
- HPV. Certain long-lasting infections with human papillomavirus are linked to some throat cancers.
- Sun exposure. A lot of sun on the lips raises the risk of lip cancer.
- Age. Risk tends to rise as people get older.
If one or more of these apply to you, it is worth talking with your dentist or doctor about how closely to watch.
Tobacco, heavy alcohol, and certain HPV infections are the biggest risk factors.
Is screening recommended for everyone?
Here it helps to be clear. Expert groups have not found enough evidence to recommend routine oral cancer screening for all adults who have no symptoms. That means screening is not automatically advised for everyone.
At the same time, many dentists include a mouth check as a normal part of a visit, and it takes only a moment. Keeping up with regular dental care is one easy way to have your mouth looked at by a trained eye.
Signs to report
Whether or not you are being formally screened, it helps to know the warning signs. Tell your dentist or doctor if you notice any of these lasting longer than about two weeks:
- A sore or lump in the mouth or throat that does not heal
- A red or white patch that does not go away
- A thick or rough spot
- Trouble chewing, swallowing, or moving the tongue or jaw
- A lasting sore throat or a feeling that something is stuck
- Numbness, pain, or bleeding in the mouth
Most of these turn out not to be cancer. Still, having them checked is the right move, and catching a problem early usually makes it easier to treat.
A sore or patch that will not heal in two weeks is worth getting checked.
Words to know
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Common questions
▸What happens during an oral cancer screening?
A dentist or doctor looks at your lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, the roof and floor of your mouth, and the back of your throat. They also feel your neck and jaw for lumps. It is quick, painless, and does not need any special equipment.
▸Who is at higher risk for oral and throat cancer?
People who use tobacco in any form, those who drink a lot of alcohol, and those with certain long-lasting HPV (human papillomavirus) infections. Using both tobacco and alcohol together raises risk more than either alone. Sun exposure also raises the risk of lip cancer.
▸Is oral cancer screening recommended for everyone?
Expert groups have not found enough evidence to recommend routine screening for all adults who have no symptoms. Even so, many dentists include a mouth check during regular visits, which is a good reason to keep up with dental care.
▸What signs should I watch for?
Watch for a sore, lump, or thick spot in the mouth or throat that does not heal in about two weeks, a red or white patch, trouble chewing or swallowing, a lasting sore throat, or numbness. Report these to your dentist or doctor.
▸Can the HPV vaccine lower my risk?
The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV linked to several cancers, including some throat cancers. It works best when given before exposure to the virus. Ask your doctor whether it is right for you or your family.
▸Does screening hurt or use radiation?
No. An oral cancer screening is just looking and feeling. There are no needles or X-rays involved in the basic exam. If something unusual is found, a doctor may suggest other tests, such as a biopsy.
Questions to ask your doctor
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