Symptoms of oral cancers vary depending on the location of the tumor. In general, symptoms develop from the mucosa of one of these sites: floor of the mouth, tongue, tonsils, palate, cheeks, gums or lips. If you have an oral cancer, you’ll experience at least one of the following symptoms:
- jaw pain or stiffness
- toothache or loose teeth
- persistent discomfort when swallowing (dysphagia)
- difficulty or pain when chewing
- sore in the mouth that does not heal;
- swollen lymph node in the neck
- bleeding in the mouth
- sore throat or chronic feeling that that something is caught in your throat
- difficulty or pain when you pull your tongue
- tingling or persistent pain in the mouth or throat
- whitish and/or reddish lesions in the mouth;
These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have oral cancer. However, if they persist, it is important that you consult your dentist or doctor. The risk of oral cancer increases with age. Therefore, if you are over 50 or if you have certain risk factors (excessive alcohol consumption and smoking), it is very important to see your doctor as quickly as possible if you experience any of oral cancer symptoms.