Your dentist will look for signs of oral cancer during a regular exam. Oral cancer often starts as small sores or tiny white or red spots. A dentist is skilled at identifying these and other signs of cancer.
The Screening
The first step in detecting oral cancer is a painless exam. Your dentist can complete a screening in just a few minutes. Dentists will carefully inspect the following areas for sores, spots, and lumps:
Your face, neck, lips, and mouth
Your jaw and the side of your neck
Your tongue
The roof and floor of your mouth
The back of your throat
Testing for Cancer
Some sores and spots around the mouth are harmless; others are not. When dentists cannot tell what caused a spot or sore, they may perform a brush test. During a brush test, cells from the suspicious areas are removed with a brush and analyzed.
If precancerous cells are found, the lesion can be surgically removed. When found early, oral cancer can be more easily treated.