Oral cancer can be controlled, as most of risk factors are known, identification by oral examination and acceptable as well as effective therapy for early lesions. Oral self-examination may be used as an effective tool to improve awareness of oral cancer and for early detection of lesions in a high-risk population. However, clinical examination of oral cavity for precancer and cancer is an inevitable part in early detection. In the present study self-examination was compared with clinical examination and diagnosis is confirmed by vital staining and biopsy for high risk group of oral precancer and cancer. Results show that self-examination can play an important role in early detection of oral cancer. As vital staining tool, Lugol's iodine has promising results than conventionally used toluidine blue in detection of oral precancer and cancer.