What is Oral Pathology?

The inside of the mouth is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in colour. Any alteration in this appearance could be a warning sign for a pathological process. The most serious of these is oral cancer. The following can be signs at the beginning of a pathologic process or cancerous growth:

• Reddish patches (erythroplasia) or white coloured patches (leukoplakia) in the mouth
• A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily
• A lump or thickening on the skin lining the inside of the mouth
• Chronic sore throat or hoarseness
• Difficulty in chewing or swallowing

For early detection you can help by performing a monthly self-examination of your palate, lips, gums and the inner cheeks for white patches (leukoplakia), red patches (erythropakia) or red and white patches (erythroleukoplakia). Other things to watch for are sores that fail to heal or that bleed easily, abnormal lumps of the mouth tissue, chronic sore throat, persistent difficulty chewing or swallowing or a mass or lump in the neck