Hi everyone,
I'm new here and a bit overwhelmed. Let me give a bit of background on myself.

I began having issues with my tongue about 6 months ago, when my second child was just a month old. I noticed a whitish area and a loss of tastebuds all around the outer edge of my tongue. I saw my regular dentist, an ENT, an oral surgeon, and also had a velscope exam at yet another dentist. Everything was fine at each exam. I was still worried (I have health anxiety anyway) but decided to let things go at least for the time being. I have no health insurance and I was out of money from all these appointments.

Well, fast forward a bit and I've now found a lump INSIDE my tongue, maybe a half inch to an inch from the tip & slightly off center. It is pea-sized, round, and mobile. I can feel the edges distinctly and can move it around a bit with my fingers. Nothing can be seen from the outside of the tongue at all, it can only be felt with either my fingers or my teeth. It is around the area where the anterior lingual glands are. I do not remember hurting this area and it's now been there at least a month with no sign of going away. I admit I have numerous cavities that developed through my pregnancy and I'm working to gradually get them repaired. I don't think that has anything to do with this though.

I tried to get the oral surgeon to feel the area but he told me he could not even feel anything! To me it's blatantly obvious. I don't know where to go from here. I really want it removed and am losing sleep over it. The thing is, I know my ENT would refer me to the oral surgeon for removal but he is the one who could not even detect it when I pointed it out to him!

Any advice would be appreciated. I don't think I'll be able to rest until I have a biopsy or removal of this lump & know what it is. Does anyone have any idea what it could be, besides cancer? I'm petrified right now & have two young kids that need me.

Thank you in advance.