I will start by saying i have never used anything like this before/posted about any health issues before. Anyway here goes..

I consider myself to be a hypercondriac for a start.
For example last year i noticed some blood in stool which had happened on several occasions over the course of a few years. Anyway i finally though enough is enough because i had, had enough with the pain and discomfort and booked an appointment. Turns out it was a fissure

Moving on..

A while back maybe about 2 years ago or longer, i observed a white patch on my left cheek. I cannot remember much about the finding but what caused me to forget about it was (i think) i had, had tooth extraction around that time and i kind of just assumed if it was anything bad my dentist would have picked up on it there and then.

Anyway 2-3 years down the line, the patch is still there (no i don't freq visit the dentist unfortunately). Anyway after some dr.google i have basically talked myself into the idea of it being oral can because i am a hypercondriac. I am 21 years of age now and never been a smoker and rarely drink.

I plucked up the courage to go and see my dentist about this as i was suddenly panicking about it so much. Now as far as i am aware it has not changed in the past 2-3 years. I cannot really find much on the internet that resembles it.

The patch is white and does not rub off, it looks more like i don't know a scar or something. If i look at it under a normal light (like in the bathroom) its not very noticeable and even less when stretched. but if i look at it lets say outside in daylight its clear to see. It is not mixed red and white, it looks more white with a kind of purple outline to it. (kind of like how my other cheek looks when i bite it. only difference is that heals back to the normal pinky colour. It is not painful, never has been, never bled, nor changed appearance imo. No lump or bump feels only very slightly rough.

So i went to the dentist and she did a check up and then said what am i looking at. (I had to explain where about it was) which is why i worry in-case when i had surgery 2-3 years ago it just was not that noticeable and even now the different dentist as my usual was not available did not notice it straight away. Anyway she checked my biteline and said i think you are biting it. She asked me if i grind my teeth and i said i have been known to, she put her mirror were it was and asked me to bite. Again saying i think your biting it but i will referee you to the hospital!?!

Anyway she also observed i needed a filling apparently and a teeth clean which is my usual. So i left in more panic and fear.
The thing that has also not helped to things is she wasn't very clear on anything, she did not say why i had to go to the hospital and for what reason.. ( i am guessing a biopsy?)

By the time i got the letter for the hospital appointment i had moved so had to cancel it. Again i have stuck at the issue and found the balls to register at a new dentist and i have an appointment next week so i will see what they have to say and if they refer me i will make sure i find out what for this time!

Also i do have a habit of biting as i said, i bite my lip and cheeks. Also the side which has the white patch is the side near my 2nd to last molar but more along the cheek line. That bottom molar, half of it consist of a filling where it had basically split and the top molar has a filling which made me think that it was just rubbing on the fillings as there is so much of it. The patch kinda sits in the little indent that you have on each side of the buccal mucosa. So its like the size of a finger tip i guess. And there is an either smaller patch just below it (very small) will try and get a pic if i get chance

Anyway sorry for the essay any opinions would be great. My heart is with those who are fighting this.

Hi, Edforceone

I would recommend that you see a doctor. He/she would be able to look at a white patch in the mouth and talk to you about your anxiety. Doesn't have to be a dentist. There are many harmless white patches that can appear in the mouth but it's good to see about them. Nobody here is a doctor so we wouldn't be able to identify it from a picture.

I wish I had been as vigilant as you about my mouth because I (and my various dentists) let things get way out of control.

Go to the dentist too!!! But do see someone soon to put your mind at rest. Good luck:)

Thanks for the response, i feel guilty posting on here in case it is nothing when there are people on here with real problems. I have just registered with the docs around my new area also, i will be going for a new patient assessment on friday so i will mention it.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

Welcome to OCF! Any sore inside your mouth that you have had for over 2 or 3 weeks without healing needs to be checked by a professional. I suggest seeing an ENT who specializes in oral cancer patients. Better to be in the right place just in case. Hopefully its nothing serious and you wont need our group. But if a biopsy would show up cancerous then dont worry, we will get you thru it.

Good luck!

It's very possible it's a small callous if you do bite the area your body has a way of protecting itself. However the dr. likely referred you for a biopsy and you should go/have gone - maybe reschedule? It is the best and fastest way to ease your mind as it's usually very definitive. An ENT familiar with Oral Cancer is the best choice for you to see, however, your dentist was doing her do diligence by referring you for a biopsy.

Based on the amount of time you've had it with no change I'd say it's probably nothing, but better safe than sorry. We've had young people with no precursors for this disease, diagnosed, and this cancer based on location and size - can be painless. The one thing that makes it sound NOT like cancer would be the amount of time you've had it with no change. Usually at this point it would have gotten bigger, and moved into your nodes, so chances are it's nothing... best of luck

Welcome to OCF!

Ditto others. If it has been around that long and no change than it is highly unlikely to be cancer. So try to relax and ditch the anxiety. Still seek some diagnosis so you can either get it treated or be reassured it is something benign although a nuisance.

don

Thanks, and cherlyd as i said i was sched for appointment at the hospital but by the time is came through (1 month later) i had move. I called them and they said i would have to be referred again. Which meant i needed to go to the dentist/docs again and get that referral.

I probably had it 2-3 years i certainly cannot see any difference in the first time i saw it, just a white patch with like a purple outline (depending on light).

Thanks for assurance will keep posted, dentist is on monday then its however long it takes for referral again