Oral cancer, or mouth cancer, occurs when cells in your mouth grow in abnormal ways. About 60,000 people develop cancer in the tissues of their mouth, tongue, or throat each year. Oral cancers are a type of head and neck cancer.
You may not notice oral cancer symptoms at first. Seeing a dentist regularly is one way to detect oral cancers early. Here’s what you should know about the signs of mouth cancer.
What Is the Oral Cavity?
All the parts of your mouth make up your oral cavity. These parts include your:
- Cheek linings (buccal mucosa).
- Gums and the area behind your wisdom teeth.
- Lips.
- Mouth floor (under your tongue).
- Roof of the mouth.
- Tongue (front two-thirds).
The back third of your tongue, soft palate, throat, and tonsils make up your oropharynx. Abnormal cell growth in these areas causes oropharyngeal cancer.
What Are the Symptoms of Mouth Cancer?
Oral cancer screening is an important part of regular dental care. These screenings can help your dentist identify early warning signs of gum cancer and other cancers in your mouth.
Not all changes in the tissues of your mouth are symptoms of mouth cancer. But talk to your dentist or doctor if you notice:
- Bleeding in your mouth that is unexplainable.
- Changes in your voice or feeling hoarse.
- Lumps or rough patches in your mouth or on your lips.
- Pain or a numb feeling in your ear, face, lips, or inside your mouth that doesn’t go away.
- Patches of red or white on your gums, the lining of your cheeks, or your tongue.
- Sore throat that doesn’t go away.
- Trouble with speaking or swallowing.
- A mass in your neck that doesn’t go away. Oral cancer commonly spreads to the lymph nodes.
If you notice any of these warning signs, don’t wait. Early diagnosis can dramatically improve treatment outcomes.
Am I at Risk for Mouth Cancer?
Tobacco use is the leading risk factor. This includes smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, as well as using smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco and snuff.
Drinking alcohol, especially when combined with tobacco use, also raises your risk. Having human papillomavirus (HPV) can increase your risk in the oropharynx.
Other risk factors include:
- Age and gender — Mouth cancer is more common in people over the age of 45 and occurs more frequently in men than in women.
- Prolonged sun exposure — Using lip balm with SPF and wearing a wide-brimmed hat can help protect this sensitive area.
- Weakened immune system — Poor oral hygiene and chronic irritation from ill-fitting dentures may also contribute to cell changes in the mouth.
- Diet — A lack of fruits and vegetables — foods rich in antioxidants — may reduce your body’s ability to fight off the cellular damage that leads to cancer.
If you fall into these risk categories, monitor your oral health closely and maintain regular dental checkups and oral cancer screenings.
How Is Oral Cancer Diagnosed?
Many mouth cancers begin in flat cells (squamous cells) in the lining of your cheeks, lips, and mouth. Mouth cancer that starts in these cells is squamous cell carcinoma. Doctors diagnose oral cancers with:
Physical exam
Your doctor will examine your mouth for physical changes. They also feel for lumps and rough areas on your:
- Cheek lining.
- Gums.
- Roof of the mouth.
- Tongue and under your tongue.
Your doctor will also examine your neck and feel for swollen lymph nodes.
Biopsy
During a biopsy, a doctor removes a sample of cells or abnormal tissue and examines it under a microscope. Some oral cancers cause white patches of cells called leukoplakia to form in your mouth. Your doctor may biopsy leukoplakia to check for cancer.
Brush biopsy
Doctors scrape a sample of cells from your oral cavity and examine them under a microscope to look for cancer.
Endoscopy
During an endoscopy, doctors insert a tube-shaped instrument (endoscope) into your mouth. They use a lens attached to the endoscope to view tissue and cells in your throat.
Imaging tests
Imaging tests help doctors see cells and tissues inside your body. You may have:
- Computed tomography (CT) scan.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
How Is Mouth Cancer Treated?
Oral cancers are typically treatable. During diagnostic testing, doctors determine how advanced the cancer is and whether it has spread (its stage). They use information about the stage of oral cancer to design a treatment plan for you.
Your doctor may recommend that you see a dentist before beginning treatment for oral cancer. It’s important to take care of any problems with your teeth and gums before undergoing cancer treatment.
If you have severe problems with one or more teeth, your doctor may recommend removing those teeth. They may also recommend treating gum disease. Addressing oral health problems first can help prevent problems after cancer treatment and protect against bone loss.
If you have mouth cancer, your doctor may treat you with a combination of treatments. You may have:
Oral cancer surgery
Surgeons remove any cancerous tissue from the lips and oral cavity. They may also remove lymph nodes from your neck if cancer has begun to spread. Experts may use plastic surgery to treat changes to your appearance after cancer surgery.
Chemotherapy for mouth cancer
Your doctor may treat you with chemotherapy after oral cancer surgery. Chemotherapies are powerful drugs that destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery. If chemotherapy is given after surgery, it’s given at the same time as radiation.
Immunotherapy for oral cancers
When oral cancers spread to other parts of the body (metastasize) or come back (recur) after surgery, doctors may recommend immunotherapy. Immunotherapies are drugs that help your immune system destroy cancer cells. Sometimes, immunotherapy can be used before oral cancer surgery.
Radiation therapy for mouth cancers
Doctors may recommend radiation therapy to treat oral cancers. These therapies, such as X-rays, use concentrated energy to target and kill cancer cells.
What Happens After Mouth Cancer Treatment?
You use your mouth every day to eat, breathe, talk, and express yourself. Oral cancer and its treatment can cause changes to how your mouth looks and functions. Specialized therapies can help you regain lost function and learn to use your lips and tongue again after treatment.
After oral cancer treatment, you may see a:
How Can I Keep My Mouth Healthy
A healthy mouth is vital to your body’s health. You can help keep your mouth healthy by:
- Brushing your teeth in the morning and at night.
- Eating a healthy diet with fewer added sugars.
- Flossing your teeth regularly to help keep your gums healthy.
- Having routine dental cleanings.
- Staying well hydrated.
It’s important to see your dentist regularly. Your dentist can address oral health problems and spot early signs of mouth cancer. Talk to your dentist or doctor about your mouth cancer risk and steps you can take to keep your mouth healthy.
Sources
American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancers. Accessed June 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/oral-cavity-and-oropharyngeal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html/ Cancer.org
American Dental Association MouthHealthy. Oral Cancer. Accessed June 2025. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/oral-cancer/ MouthHealthy.org
National Cancer Institute. Oral Cavity. Accessed June 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/oral-cavity/ Cancer.gov
National Cancer Institute. Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)—Patient Version. Accessed June 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/patient/adult/lip-mouth-treatment-pdq/ Cancer.gov
The Oral Cancer Foundation. Oral Cancer Facts. Accessed June 2025. https://oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/ OralCancerFoundation.org