How can i know if i may have mouth cancer?

See a dentist: You need to have a dentist evaluate your mouth to look determine if you have suspicious areas that need a biopsy. Biopsies give the definitive diagnosis of oral cancer.

Symptoms: See oral surgeon or ENT doc if you have any of these symptoms: Persistent mouth sore, persistent mouth pain, a lump or thickening in the cheek, a white/red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth, a sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat that does not go away, difficulty swallowing/chewing.