Oral cancer screening is a routine part of a dental examination.  Regular check-ups, including an examination of the entire mouth, are essential in the early detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions.  You may have a very small, but dangerous, oral spot or sore and not be aware of it.
A careful examination of the inside of your mouth, tongue and back of the throat may identify in some patients, a flat, painless, white or red spot or a small sore.  Although most of these are harmless, some are not.  If these spots have a clear cause, you may be asked to return for re-examination at a later date.  If the cause is unclear, you may require additional testing to confirm the cause of the problem.