Oral Cancer Exam Danforth

An oral cancer screening is a quick visual and physical exam performed by a dentist to check for early signs of cancer in the mouth, lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, and throat. During the exam, the dentist looks for red or white patches, unusual lumps, persistent sores, and changes in tissue texture that could signal abnormal cell growth. The screening is painless, takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and is often part of a routine dental checkup. Early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes and survival rates, which is why regular screenings matter.
Oral cancer screening is recommended for adults of all ages, but some groups face a higher risk and should be screened more often. You should consider an oral cancer screening if you fall into any of the following categories:

• Adults over the age of 40
• Smokers or users of chewing tobacco
• Frequent or heavy alcohol consumers
• People with HPV (human papillomavirus) infection
• Those with a personal or family history of cancer
• Patients with mouth sores, lumps, or red or white patches lasting more than two weeks
• Individuals with prolonged sun exposure (risk of lip cancer)