Oral Pathology

The inside of the mouth is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in color. 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 (erythroplakia) or whitish 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

These changes can be detected on the lips, cheeks, palate and gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face and/or neck. Pain does not always occur with pathology. However, any patient with facial and/or oral pain without an obvious cause or reason may also be at risk for oral cancer.

We would recommend performing an oral cancer self-examination monthly and remember that your mouth is one of your body's most important warning systems. Do not ignore suspicious lumps or sores. Please contact us so we may help.

Certain small abnormalities can be initially investigated with non-invasive techniques like a "brush biopsy." This consists of obtaining cells from the surface of a lesion with a brush. This does not require any injections or discomfort. The cells are transferred to a slide then sent to a lab where they will be investigated by a pathologist under a microscope.

Larger or more suspicious lesions require investigation by obtaining a piece of the tissue in question. This is traditionally known as a biopsy. The tissue abnormality will need to be anesthetized either locally, or in conjunction with some type of sedative technique. It is then placed in a jar of tissue preservation and sent to a lab where a pathologist will identify it under a microscope.