My orthodontist found my first oral cancer. I was having some treatment for TMJ and seeing him regularly. I developed a sore under my tongue and thought the splint I was wearing to prevent grinding my teeth might be rubbing. He checked the splint and didn't see anything and said that the sore didn't look like anything to worry about. My next visit a few weeks later the sore was still there. He said "that shouldn't still be there" and IMMEDIATELY sent me next door to an oral surgeon who did a biopsy and referred me to an ENT when the results confirmed it was cancer. My second cancer (13 years later) was found due to my paranoia. I would go to my ENT whenever I saw or felt something suspicious.
ilene