Oral Cancer Warning Signs

See a doctor or dentist if you have any of these signs for 2 weeks or longer:

• A sore in the mouth or on the lip that does not heal
• A lump or thickening in the cheek, lips, or mouth
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
• Soreness or a feeling that something is caught in the throat
• A hard time chewing or swallowing or a hard time moving the jaw or tongue
• Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth; swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable

Any of these signs may be caused by oral cancer or by other less serious problems. Don’t wait for something to hurt. Pain is not usually an early symptom of oral cancer.