Part of a routine examination here is a look at the soft tissue rather than the teeth — the tongue and underneath it, the cheeks, the floor and roof of the mouth, the back of the throat — and a feel along the jaw and neck for anything that has changed since last time.
It takes a couple of minutes and there is nothing to it from your side. The reason we do it is arithmetic: found early, oral cancer is very treatable, and early is precisely when it causes no symptoms at all.
What is worth showing us between visits is anything that has not gone away in two weeks — an ulcer that will not heal, a white or red patch, a lump or thickening, a rough area, or persistent difficulty swallowing. Most of these turn out to be harmless. Being told so is the point.
If we see something we cannot account for, we say so and refer you for a specialist opinion rather than watching it.
Common questions
Do I need to book this separately?
No. It is part of your regular examination and there is no separate charge for it.
I don't smoke. Should I still be checked?
Yes. Tobacco and heavy drinking raise the risk considerably, and HPV is a growing factor, but cases do occur in people with none of those. That is why the check is for everyone rather than by request.
What happens if you find something?
We explain what we can see and refer you on for a definitive answer. You will not be left to interpret it yourself.
Questions about oral cancer screening?
Call the office and ask. We'd rather talk it through than have you guess from a website.