Oral cancer is a dangerous condition that over 50,000 Americans get every year. If left untreated, it can lead to difficulty swallowing, speech issues, and even death. Fortunately, there are ways to treat it effectively, including oral surgery, especially if you catch it early. Here’s a quick guide to how to detect it at home, as well as what’s involved in a professional screening.

How Do You Perform a Self-Examination? 

About once a month, check your neck and face in a mirror. Both sides should be relatively symmetrical. If you notice any lumps, swellings, or bumps on either side, seek medical guidance. Also, examine these areas for moles, growths, or sores. 

Next, pull down your lips, checking for color changes, sores, bumps, lumps, or changes in texture. After that, inspect your cheeks for dark, red, or white patches. Squeeze each side of your face, seeing if there are lumps or tender areas. 

Finally, examine the roof and floor of your mouth, as well as your tongue. Again, check for lumps, swellings, strange textures, and color changes. 

What Happens During a Professional Screening? 

While a professional oral cancer screening is similar to a self-examination, it’s more thorough. They’ll use tools to inspect the inside of your mouth for sores and red and white patches. Next, they’ll put on gloves and feel every area of your mouth to check for abnormalities, such as lumps. Additionally, they’ll examine the throat and neck, looking for tumors and sores.   

Some medical professionals also use screening dye. They’ll have you rinse your mouth with a blue dye that’s meant to attach to abnormal cells, making them appear blue. They may also utilize a special screening light that makes cancerous tissue appear white and healthy tissue look dark. 
 

If you need an oral cancer screening, contact the oral surgery professionals at Oral Surgery Associates of Alaska. Serving Anchorage, they’ll thoroughly check for abnormalities on your lips, cheeks, gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face, and neck. Their surgeons have decades of experience and always provide the best possible care and a comfortable environment. Call (907) 561-1430 to set up an appointment, or head to their website to learn more about their oral surgery services.