Recognizing Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Author: Ian C. Langtree - View Credentials
Published: 13 Apr 2011 - Updated: 22 Apr 2022

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content

Synopsis

Early stages of oral cancer can develop without causing noticeable symptoms, dentists offer the most important line of defense against the disease.

Overview

For decades, the incidence of oral cancer has remained nearly constant, partly because it can be difficult to detect. However, during April, Oral Cancer Awareness Month, Disabled World, is joining the national effort to support early recognition of oral cancer symptoms.

It can be hard for a patient to know the difference between something to worry about and not. Early stages of oral cancer can develop without causing noticeable symptoms. As gatekeepers to oral health, dentists offer the most important line of defense against the disease, says Samuel H. Gruenbaum, President and Chief Executive Officer of the California based dental HMO.

Heavy exposure to tobacco, alcohol, and sunlight are linked to oral cancer, which becomes more likely to strike in middle age. Among nonsmokers under age 50, however, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is becoming one of the leading causes of oral cancer. Consult a dentist if you notice any symptoms of lip and oral cancer, including:

• Persistent ear ache.
• Swelling of the jaw.
• A hoarseness or change in voice.
• Loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit well.
• A feeling that something is caught in the throat.
• Unusual bleeding, pain or numbness in the mouth or lips.
• Trouble chewing, swallowing or moving the tongue or jaw.
• Unspecified or sudden numbness in the oral or facial region.
• A lump or thickening on the lips, gums, or in the neck or mouth.
• A sore on the lip or in the mouth that doesn't heal within 14 days.
• White or red patches or a mix of both on the gums, tongue, tonsils, or lining of the mouth.

If your dentist notices an abnormality, he or she may refer you to the appropriate doctors for further tests. If you have any oral health concerns, see a dentist, sooner, rather than later. It could save your life.

Author Credentials: Ian C. Langtree is a writer, editor, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, which he established in 2004 as one of the longest-running independent resources for disability news and information. Over more than two decades, he has written and edited thousands of articles on disability rights, health, accessibility, and assistive technology. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed advocate of the Social Model of Disability, the framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that focuses on removing societal barriers rather than on individual impairments. His writing is grounded in that framework and in a lasting commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.