Early mouth cancer is often painless. Waiting for it to hurt isn't a plan, and it's why we look every time.
Mention of cancer makes people tense, so here's the calm version: what we check, why we check it at every recall, and what you can look out for yourself. Most mouth ulcers and patches turn out to be something harmless. The point of looking is to catch the few that aren't, early.
What We Check
An oral cancer screen is part of every examination. We look at and feel your lips, cheeks, tongue, the floor of your mouth, your palate and throat, and the glands in your neck. Some of those areas, like the sides of your tongue and the floor of your mouth, are places you'd never see on your own.
What to Look Out For
NHS guidance lists the main warning signs. A mouth ulcer that hasn't healed after three weeks. A red or white patch inside the mouth. A lump in the mouth, on the lip, or in the neck. Mouth pain that won't settle, difficulty swallowing or speaking, or a hoarse voice that doesn't clear up.
These signs are common, they usually have other causes, and they don't mean cancer. But if any of them lasts longer than three weeks, get it looked at. Don't wait for your next check-up. Ring us, or see your GP.
Who Gets It
Tobacco and alcohol are the main risk factors, and together they multiply the risk rather than simply adding to it. Some cancers at the back of the throat are linked to the HPV virus. But plenty of people with none of these risk factors are affected too, which is why everyone is checked, not only smokers and drinkers.
Why Early Matters
Cancer Research UK's figures for England show the difference clearly. Of people diagnosed with stage 1 mouth cancer between 2014 and 2016, more than 85 in 100 were still alive five years later. For stage 4, it was 35 in 100. It's the same disease. The difference is how early it was found.
What Happens If We See Something
If something looks wrong, we'll tell you what we've seen and why it caught our eye. Sometimes the right move is to re-check it in a couple of weeks to see whether it settles. Sometimes it's an urgent referral to a specialist team. Either way, you'll know the plan before you leave the chair.
A Simple Habit
Once a month, in good light, look at your tongue (top, sides and underneath), inside your cheeks and lips, and feel along your neck. You're looking for anything new, and anything that doesn't go away. It takes a minute, and it's the best backup to what we do at your recall. It's also one of the reasons we ask about smoking at every single visit.
Sources: NHS, Mouth cancer: symptoms. Cancer Research UK, Mouth cancer survival (five-year net survival, England, diagnosed 2014 to 2016).