Usually there are always some minor symtoms to start with and if identified earler, we have a good chance of complete cure from the cancer.Here are some of the commonly felt clinical features of mouth cancers (oral cancers).

• Mouth ulcers that do not heal: A broken area of skin (ulcer) that will not heal can be a symptom of mouth cancer. Most people with mouth cancer have this symptom.

• A swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable

• Pain or discomfort in your mouth that doesn’t go away

• White or red patches in the mouth.

  • An abnormal-looking patch could be a sign of cancer or precancerous changes. These patches are not cancer, but if left untreated, they may lead to cancer.

    • White patches are called leukoplakia.
    • Red patches are called erythroplakia.

• A fungal infection called oral thrush can also cause red and white patches.

• Bleeding: nose, mouth or throat- unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth.

• Swallowing problems: Difficulty in swallowing

  • Pain or a burning sensation when chewing and swallowing food. You might feel like food is sticking in your throat.

  • You may also feel cough while swallowing any food.

• Speech problems: You might sound different- change in voice - quieter or husky- hoarseness of voice. It may sound as if you have a cold all the time. You might slur some of your words or have trouble pronouncing certain sounds.

• A lump in your neck: You may have a lump in your neck caused by an enlarged lymph node due to cancer. Lumps that come and go are usually not due to cancer. Cancer typically forms a lump that slowly gets bigger.

• Weight loss: Mouth cancer can make it painful to eat and difficult to swallow, which can cause weight loss.

Other signs of mouth cancer

• A lump or thickening in your lip
• A lump in your mouth or throat
• Unusual bleeding or numbness in your mouth
• Loose teeth for no clear reason
• Difficulty moving your jaw