During an oral cancer screening exam, your dentist looks over the inside of your mouth to check for red or white patches or mouth sores. Using gloved hands, your dentist also feels the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or other abnormalities. The dentist may also examine your throat and neck for lumps.
The goal of oral cancer screening is to identify mouth cancer early, when there is a greater chance for a cure. Most dentists perform an examination of your mouth during a routine dental visit to screen for oral cancer. Some dentists may use additional tests to aid in identifying areas of abnormal cells in your mouth.
A biopsy is the only way to know for sure that oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer is present. A sample of tissue or cells is always needed to confirm a cancer diagnosis before treatment is started. Several types of biopsies may be used, depending on each case.
"There are two basic ways that oral cancers present in the mouth — as white patches or red patches," says Dr. Kain. "Red patches are a bit more concerning than white patches, but either needs to be evaluated if it doesn't go away after several weeks."
Your healthcare provider may use a combination of oral cancer screening methods, including a visual exam, palpation, and oral screening dyes and lights. They may also take photos of any abnormal areas so they can monitor them. In general, screenings take less than five minutes.
Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer or cancer of the oral cavity, is often used to describe a number of cancers that start in the region of the mouth. These most commonly occur on the lips, tongue and floor of the mouth but can also start in the cheeks, gums, roof of the mouth, tonsils and salivary glands.
If the cancer has not spread beyond the mouth or the part of your throat at the back of your mouth (oropharynx) a complete cure may be possible using surgery alone. If the cancer is large or has spread to your neck, a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be needed.
In the early stages, mouth cancer rarely causes any pain. Abnormal cell growth usually appears as flat patches.
For all mouth (oral cavity) cancers:
more than 75 out of 100 people (more than 75%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed. around 55 out of 100 people (around 55%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
Oral cancer accounts for roughly three percent of all cancers diagnosed annually in the United States, or about 53,000 new cases each year. Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40 and affects more than twice as many men as women.
Dentists can use dental x-rays to diagnose oral cancer. According to the American Cancer Society2, the chances of surviving and fully recovering from oral cancer is much greater if caught in the early stages. A dental x-ray may detect irregularities that could be an early sign of oral cancer.
Dental X-rays may not reveal all instances of mouth cancer, but they can be helpful during an oral cancer screening. Specifically, dental X-rays can show if there is any cancer in the jaw that has spread from another area of the mouth or originated in the jaw.
Age: The average age at diagnosis for oral cancer is 63, and more than two-thirds of individuals with this disease are over age 55, although it may occur in younger people, as well.
But for oral cancer, most of the cancers will come back within the first two years of treatment. And if somebody gets to five years after treatment with no sign of cancer, the chance of it coming back is very, very low. So in general, we think about a five-year mark after cancer treatment as being cured.
The survival rate among people with early-stage untreated mouth cancer is around 30% for five years, whereas the rate gets reduced to 12% for people with Stage 4 untreated mouth cancer.
The most common symptoms of mouth cancer are: sore mouth ulcers that do not heal within several weeks. unexplained, persistent lumps in the mouth that do not go away. unexplained, persistent lumps in the lymph glands in the neck that do not go away.
Some of the most common oral cancer symptoms and signs include: Persistent mouth sores that do not heal. Persistent mouth pain.
patches of rough, white, or red tissue. a hard, painless lump near the back teeth or in the cheek. a bumpy spot near the front teeth. growths of tissue on the roof of the mouth.
Most oral cancers are a type called squamous cell carcinoma. These cancers tend to spread quickly. Smoking and other tobacco use are linked to most cases of oral cancer. Heavy alcohol use also increases the risk for oral cancer.
Survival rates for oral and oropharyngeal cancer vary widely depending on the original location and the extent of the disease. In the United States, the overall 5-year survival rate for people with oral or oropharyngeal cancer is 67%. The 5-year survival rate for Black people is 51%, and for White people, it is 69%.
Most patients with stage I or II oral cavity cancers do well when treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy (chemo) given along with radiation (called chemoradiation) is another option. Both surgery and radiation work equally well in treating these cancers.
Tobacco and alcohol use
Tobacco use is one of the strongest risk factors for head and neck cancers, including oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer. The risk for these cancers is much higher in people who smoke than in people who don't.
In 2022, it is estimated that a person has a 1 in 252 (or 0.40%) risk of dying from head and neck cancer (including lip) by the age of 85 (1 in 165 or 0.61% for males and 1 in 533 or 0.19% for females).
X-rays help them see the condition of your teeth, roots, jaw placement and facial bone composition. They also help them find and treat dental problems early in their development. X-rays are a form of energy that can travel through or be absorbed by solid objects.