To perform the self-test only takes a mirror and good lighting. The self-test should be done once a month with calm and attention. Now onwards, we will examine three regions. The face, mouth and neck.
How is it done? -Wash your hands and we’ll start-Remember the keyword is compare, compare both sides and compare what changed between a test and the next.
Stand in front of a mirror with good lighting and see your face, touches all parts of it, and learn to distinguish recorder is the consistency of each. Develop the habit of going by comparing both sides to detect differences, changes in size or shape, lumps, hardness, stains, roughness. Etc.., anything in the previous examination had not. Let’s start by examining the oral cavity. Now the key word is in order and systematic exploration. It is very important that you do always in the same order. The following is the recommended: lips, cheeks, hard and soft palate, tongue, floor of the mouth, gums are examined with the neighboring region that corresponds. The lips are inspected from the skin to the wet part; through the area being painted with lipstick, a lip commissure to the other, to learn to recognize those braces, by palpation will detect small that are accessory salivary glands.
Remember to touch cooked rice grains under the tablecloth’s cheeks. It starts on the right side from the corner to the back and top to bottom groove. Most striking in this area is a small depression, which sometimes becomes inflamed and matching termination at the mouth of the excretory duct of the parotid gland.
Exploring the cheeks will observe a faint whitish line from front to back that corresponds to the area where the teeth contact, it is normal and should not scare visitors find (white line or occlusion).
Examination of the palate.
Also called the roof of the mouth. In the anterior palatal ridges found in the midline of some people there are hard and prominent lumps, called palatal torus have no pathological interest, more cushioned, behind a rich area in accessory salivary glands.
Smokers should pay special attention to this area as it may appear very prominent the mouths of the ducts of the minor salivary glands, is called the palate of smoking or nicotine stomatitis, is a premalignant lesion and therefore have to pay attention and requires professional evaluation. Take advantage now and watch the uvula is very important to compare both sides, the anatomical differences between them are very important as early signs of cancer.
Examination of the tongue.
Move it all the way, limitation or difficulty in the back pay attention to the characteristics of buds, then examine the edges, the ventral side or bottom and finally the tip of the tongue.
Floor of mouth.
Raise the tongue; see the elevations produced by salivary glands and in the midline of the excretory ducts saliva. Pulp back and forth, in this region varices appear frequently but do not worry are normal, but that if you remember its features compare to that from test to test if any change occurs the same time you may need professional evaluation.
Examination of the neck Show appearance, performed flexion and extension, then palpate the top, the side and the middle line, trying to find a lump or hardness. Non-painful lumps are the most important as early signs of cancer but any node that appears in the neck requires immediate professional evaluation.