Mouth cancer symptoms include swelling, discolored patches, changes in mouth shape, unexplained bleeding, chronic pain, and tenderness. Routine dental exams can help detect symptoms early for prevention.
Mouth cancer is an umbrella term for any of the oral cancers that affect the lips, tongue, inside of the mouth, throat, or cheeks. These tumors are related in type and location, and many of the symptoms are the same. Common symptoms of mouth cancer include swelling, the development of discolored patches in the mouth and throat, changes in the shape and form of the mouth, and unexplained bleeding. Many of the conditions can occur on their own and not be related to cancer, but when symptoms last for more than two weeks they should be checked out by a doctor or dentist.
Changes in the shape of the mouth can be one of the most telltale symptoms of mouth cancer. This may include swelling of the lips or gums, thickening of the mouth areas, developing rough patches or crusty areas or lumps in any of the soft tissues. For those wearing dentures, plates that go from fitting properly to not sitting properly can indicate such a change. For others, there may be a change in how the teeth sit, including a sudden gap or overlap of the teeth. Teeth can even loosen.
Discolorations in the mouth, cheeks, lips and tongue can also be a sign that something is wrong. Oddly colored patches can be pure white, white tinged with red, or an unnatural-looking red color. The unstained areas may be sore or show no other signs of anything wrong. Sometimes, these areas may be accompanied by other symptoms. Symptoms of mouth cancer can also appear in the rest of the body and include significant and noticeable weight loss without a change in diet or exercise.
Perhaps the most obvious symptoms of mouth cancer may be chronic pain or tenderness not only in the mouth, lips and tongue but also in the face and neck. This pain may be accompanied by a feeling of being unable to swallow or a feeling that there is something lodged in the back of the throat. It can also spread to other areas and cause difficulty opening or closing the jaw or difficulty swallowing. Sometimes there are lumps that develop on the face and neck or along the inside of the mouth.
A routine visit to the dentist often includes a brief exam for any of these mouth cancer symptoms. While many are accompanied by pain, some are not and are easier to overlook. Finding symptoms early can help prevent the disease from progressing and spreading; the first step to doing this is routinely and through oral hygiene at home.
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