Self-Exam Checklist for Tobacco Users

1. Look at yourself in the mirror to check for the appearance of your head and neck.
   • Press lightly with your fingers, move them under your chin and along your neck to feel for any unusual lumps or bumps.
2. Look for any changes in the color or texture of your lips on both the inside and outside.
   • Look for any cracks, splits, or “oozing” sores that are either slow to heal or change in size and grow larger.
3. Check the inside tissues of your cheeks.
   • Look for any gray or red rippled or raised patches of skin tissue or any sores.
4. Stick out your tongue – look on top, bottom, and all sides of the tongue.
   • Look for any gray, white or red raw patches.
   • Look for any lumps or unevenness.
5. Inspect the general appearance of your teeth and surrounding gum tissue.
   • Look for any red, raw areas with bleeding, pus drainage, or loose teeth.
   • Look for any areas of your mouth where the gum tissues have “shrunk” along the root surfaces of the teeth.

A head and neck self-exam can allow you to get to know your body and what’s normal for you. Repeating this exam monthly can help you identify any changes.

If you discover abnormal, irregular, or discolored areas or lumps that are different on one side compared to the other, contact your healthcare provider.