Oral Pathology

Cancer Screening For Patients

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 an oral pathological process. The most serious of these is oral cancer. The following can be signs at the beginning of a pathologic process or potentially malignant lesion:

  • 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 (roof of the mouth) gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face and/or neck. Pain does not always occur with pathology, and curiously, is not often associated with oral cancer. 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.

Dr. Adam Hershkin, founder of New York Oral & Facial Surgery, is a board certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with a concentration in advanced office-based surgery such as complex bone grafting and dental implant reconstruction, difficult wisdom tooth extraction, exposure of impacted canines for orthodontic purposes, as well as conservative treatment of TMJ disorders and oral pathology.

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Oral Surgeon Dr. Hershkin and his staff are committed to a higher standard of care for their patients and work very hard to make your surgical experience as easy as possible.