Mouth cancer, also called oral cancer, can develop in areas including the lips, tongue, gums, inner cheeks, and floor of the mouth. It occurs more often in older adults, and tobacco and heavy alcohol use are among its major risk factors. One reason awareness matters is that oral cancer can sometimes progress before people realize that something serious is happening.

Early symptoms may resemble much more common problems. Warning signs can include a mouth sore that does not heal, unexplained bleeding, persistent mouth or tongue pain, red or white patches, difficulty swallowing, a loose tooth, numbness of the lips or face, or an unexplained lump in the neck. An earache or persistent sore throat may also occur. Having one of these symptoms does not automatically mean cancer, but there is one detail that makes medical evaluation particularly important.