An effective oral cancer screening requires a hands-on approach, because some lumps are too small or well-concealed to be visible with the naked eye (and those little mirrors on sticks). Here's what to expect when you come in for an oral cancer check.
- First, we'll ask you to remove any dentures, partials, piercings, grills, or other mouthware you may commonly use.
- Next, we'll visually inspect your face, neck, lips, jaw, and mouth for any visible abnormalities. There are lots of things that fall into this category, from obvious lumps to subtle open sores to a simple asymmetry of the mouth.
- We'll also listen to your speech for signs of slurring or other indications that perhaps there is a sensitive area or a malformation somewhere along your gum line or tongue.
- Then, we'll feel along your neck and your jawline for any bumps that were too small or hidden to see.
- And we'll follow that up by feeling along your lips and along the insides of your cheeks.
- The tongue comes next. First we'll ask you to stick it out and we'll look at the top and bottom. Then, we'll gently pull your tongue out, squeeze it a little, and then move it around a bit so we can get a clean look at the sides and bottom.
- With our mirrors, we'll carefully examine the roof and floor of your mouth.
- Finally, we'll feel the roof and floor of your mouth, again looking for any bumps that our visual inspection missed.
If we find anything in this examination, we may recommend you get a biopsy so that we know exactly what we're dealing with. It's a simple, 20-minute procedure that we're offering free all this month. So come on in and get 'poked and prodded' — all for a good cause — your own health.
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