Components of an Oral Cancer Examination

1. Extraoral examination
   • Inspect head and neck (including backside).
   • Palpate lymph nodes and salivary glands bimanually.
     
     
2. Lip
   • Inspect head and neck (including backside).
   • Inspect and palpate labial mucosa, both upper and lower lips.
     
     
3. Buccal mucosa
   • Inspect and palpate inner cheek lining.
     
     
4. Alveolar ridge and gingiva
   • Inspect maxillary/mandibular gingiva and alveolar ridges on both the buccal and lingual sides.
     
     
5. Tongue
   • Have patient protrude tongue, and inspect the dorsal surface.
   • Have patient lift tongue, and inspect ventral surface.
   • While grasping tongue with a piece of gauze and gently pulling it out to each side, inspect the lateral borders of the tongue from its tip back to the lingual tonsil region.
   • Palpate tongue.
     
     
6. Floor of the mouth
   • Inspect and palpate floor of mouth bimanually.
     
     
7. Hard palate
   • Inspect and palpate hard palate.
   • Palpate for any lumps.
     
     
8. Soft palate and oropharynx
   • Gently depress the patient's tongue with a mouth mirror, and inspect the soft palate and oropharynx.