Oral or mouth cancer often starts silently, but there are warning signs one shouldn’t ignore. Some of the common symptoms include a stubborn sore in the mouth that refuses to heal, red or white patches, a lump or thickening in the cheek, finding it difficult to chew or swallow, numbness of the tongue or another part of the mouth or a persistent sore throat or hoarseness. If you find any of these symptoms not going away in two weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. Early detection is the key.

Oral cancer can strike anywhere in the mouth – the lips, cheeks, tongue, hard palate or floor of the mouth. This type of cancer is often detected by a dentist or general physician during a routine checkup even before symptoms really manifest. As with any other cancer, oral cancer can be treated more effectively if detected in its early stages. Hence, it is most important to be aware of the early warning signs of oral cancer.

Early Warning Signs Of Oral Cancer To Heed:

· Persistent mouth sores: This kind of sores, which refuse to go away even after two weeks can be a critical warning sign and shouldn’t be ignored. These could manifest as painful ulcers or lesions on the gums, tongue or the inside of the cheeks.

· Restricted mouth opening: Difficulty in opening mouth can be a sign of advanced oral cancer. Due to restricted mouth opening ulcers or tumors inside mouth often go unnoticed till considerable time. Often this situation is also associated with a precancerous lesion named ‘oral submucosal fibrosis’. This is very predominant in people who chew paan, supaari, slaked lime and tobacco products.

· Unexplained bleeding in mouth: Frequent episodes of bleeding in the mouth without any obvious reason are definitely a cause for worry. It could be as harmless as a gum issue or indicate something serious like oral cancer. So, if you find blood on your toothbrush or saliva, don’t ignore it.

· Difficult chewing or swallowing: Symptoms like this are often dismissed as trivial. However, if the discomfort persists and you find a change in how you eat or swallow, it could be serious, even signs of mouth cancer. It’s important not to ignore these changes, more so if these changes are accompanied by weight loss, non-healing sores or changes in voice.

· Changes in speech or hoarseness: Such changes are more often than not dismissed as common cold or allergies or even voice overuse. However, if your voice sounds strained or unusually raspy and if speaking becomes difficult, do not ignore the signs. If you also have mouth sores that refuse to heal, have trouble swallowing or experience unexplained weight loss, see a doctor immediately.

· Red or white patches in mouth: These patches, which come in different shapes and sizes, could be an early warning sign of oral cancer, particularly if they don’t go away and start to change. If these patches keep coming back or don’t heal, it could be an indication of precancerous changes. The red patches, though less common, have a stronger connection to cancer.

Swelling or lumps in neck or jaw: Such swelling or lumps could be worrying and should not be ignored. A common cause happens to be swollen lymph nodes and can happen when the body is fighting an infection. However, when there are other signs of mouth cancer like sores that don’t heal, trouble swallowing or changes in voice, one should promptly seek medical advice.