ORAL PATHOLOGY

 
Introduction
Because the mouth is a region where changes can easily be seen, oral cancer can be detected in the early stages. Performing a self-examination regularly will help in early recognition.

Diagnosis
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons recommend that everyone do an oral cancer self-exam once a month. If you are at a high risk for oral cencer - smoker, consumer of alcohol, user of smokeless tobacco - you should also see your oral and maxillofacial surgeon for an exam yearly. The things to look for when performing an oral cancer self-examination are:
Reddish Patches - Erythroplasia
White Patches - Leukoplakia
A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily
A lump or thickening of the tissues
Chronic sore throat or hoarseness
Difficulty in chewing or swallowing

To complete an oral examination, using a bright light and a mirror:
Remove any dentures
 Look and feel inside of lips, the front of gums
Tilt head back to look at and feel the roof of your mouth
Pull the cheek out to see the insideand also to see the back gums
Put out your tongue, look at all surfaces
Feel for lumps or enlarged lymph nodes (glands) in both sides of the neck and under the lower jaw
Treatment Options
If you have any of the aforementioned signs, see your oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Should the oral and maxillofacial surgeon agree that something looks suspicious, a biopsy may be recommended. This is a procedure that involves the removal of a piece of the suspicious tissue. The piece is then sent to a pathology laboratory for microscopic examination in order to make an accurate diagnosis of the problem. The biopsy report not only helps in establishing a diagnosis, but enables the doctor to make a treatment plan specifically designed for the type of lesion diagnosed.