Extraoral examination

1. Inspect head and neck (including backside).
2. Palpate lymph nodes and salivary glands bimanually.

Lip

1. Inspect head and neck (including backside).
2. Inspect and palpate labial mucosa, both upper and lower lips.

Buccal mucosa

1. Inspect and palpate inner cheek lining.

Alveolar ridge and gingiva

1. Inspect maxillary/mandibular gingiva and alveolar ridges on both the buccal and lingual sides.
   

Tongue

1. Have patient protrude tongue, and inspect the dorsal surface.
2. Have patient lift tongue, and inspect ventral surface.
3. While grasping tongue with a piece of gauze and gently pulling it out to each side, inspect the lateral borders of the tongue from its tip back to the lingual tonsil region.
4. Palpate tongue.

Floor of the mouth

1. Inspect and palpate floor of mouth bimanually.

Hard palate

1. Inspect and palpate hard palate.
2. Palpate for any lumps.

Soft palate and oropharynx

1. Gently depress the patient’s tongue with a mouth mirror, and inspect the soft palate and oropharynx.