Hi everyone,
I am a 17 year old male high school student who has been using dip off and on for a little less than a year. I am not one of those people who does it every day or goes through a full tin a week, however sometimes i did it numerous times a day and went through tins very quickly. I have slowed down a lot over the last few months and stopped buying tins knowing that i would dip more if i had them. Recently, i packed 2 lips and realized when i was done that my gum felt different. I went to the bathroom and realized that i could scrape off the top layer of skin on my gum (like i cut through the top layer kind of) I think i just irritated the gum in the area where i pack the tobacco because it is sore, however there is also a small calice there right at the top of the gum (under the tooth). The calice is sore when i touch it but other than that causes no real discomfort. I do not think it is anything serious because i have not been using tobacco for that long, however do not want to take any chances. Is it possibly leukoplakia (sp?) and does ne1 believe it could be cancerous even though i havent used dip that long?
Thank You for your help

Hi Baller12,

The odds are slim that you have developed cancer at this point. What you see are tissue changes related to irritation from the dip. STOP using the tobacco right now, wait a week to 10 days and see if the gums start looking normal. They should.

If you find that the sore (callus) doesn't go away, then get to a dentist and get it checked out.

This should be a warning to you to quit the habit right now. If you have any hesitation about doing this, or if you stop and then you even think about starting again, check out this website and see what happens when you continue to use chewing tobacco www.outdoortexan.com This site is very graphic and is sure to make you think. The author of this site is a member here and he lectures to young people like yourself about the dangers of spit tobacco. He is one of the lucky ones, but look what he had to go through.

BTW, I have had many patients come in with similar situations to what you describe and when stopped early enough the problem will almost always clear up when tobacco use is stopped.

Jerry

Thanks for the help. I decided the minute that i saw the change in the gum taht i was quitting. It is not going to be that difficult to quit because at this pt im not addicted but it is def a wake up call. Thanks again for the help.

PLEASE PLEASE quit now. my husband chewed for 30 years and has oral cancer. The Dr. told him it takes up to 25 years to show its ugly head. HE said if he knew now he would of never started. It is not worth the suffering and pain. I beg you to stop. Maybe this is a warning to you and you are lucky to have stoped now. Good luck ..My husband stopped cold turkey 1/4/07 the day he was told he had cancer.

Hello Baller12

Ditto to the above posts.

Please click the link below. I'm sure it will help you "kick the habit"!

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_topic/f/8/t/000098.html

Your life could depend on it!

Sincerely, Petey

Thanks again for the help i really appreciate it. The gum is starting to look better. The peeling has stopped, it has returned to its normal pink color and is no longer tender. The calice also seems to be going away which is a big relief. I am definetely done with tobacco forever hopefully, and if i have any trouble with it in the future i know where to come.
Thanks again

Dear Baller12

Keep spreading the word. You may spare many from this horrible disease, and most likely save a few lives.

Stay Healthy, Petey

So glad to hear that Baller12!!! If the suffering and pain of my husband helps one person young or old to quit. Then its not in vain. My son is 25 and he chewed the last 5 years as did his friends. They all stopped when they saw what my husband has been goining through. Even his friends that chewed as long as my husband--one has stopped and the others are trying. Spread the word. Good luck to you.