Hi there. was watching Dr. Oz today and he did a thing on oral cancer. I checked the bottom of my mouth and on the 'floor' of it is a hard white patch about 1/8th of an inch. I also have had a reoccuring sore on the side of my septum for about 8 months now, that won't heal - it gets hard and scales, I peel it out and it comes back. My dr told me to use vaseline or a mild ointment - doesnt seem to work. I have been off work now for 2 weeks with what has been diagnosed as a neck spasm, but the pain is not going away. If anyone can provide some insight, I would greatly appreciate it - I see my dentist next week, but I'm going to move the appointment up if I can. Thank you.

Very good that you saw the Dr Oz show!!! They did a decent job at making all the basics known. Any sore you have had inside your mouth for longer than 2 weeks needs to be checked by a professional. Sorry but Im not familiar with vaseline healing anything besides chapped lips. Is your dentist doing the full oral cancer screening like what Dr Oz showed? I would suggest going to either an ENT or and oral surgeon for a more thorough exam. Sounds like a biopsy would be a good idea so that you know for sure what is going on.

Hi Marsy - I'm so glad you found this site! Not all dentists are familiar with the proper way to do an Oral Exam. I saw the Dr. Oz show, too but it went pretty quickly so if you want to review the proper way to do an oral exam from the patient's point of view just go here: http://oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/how_do_you_know.html
There is also another explanation for the Dental Profession here:
http://oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/screening.htm
It really helps to be prepared so you can ask all the questions you need to know. Your health is very important and you have every right to get the kind of care you deserve. Let us know what happens.

Hi there and welcome. It sounds a lot like a leukoplakia - what you described - I had one on my tongue 10 years ago - it's like a thickened patch of skin - do have it biopsied - they may remove it all at the time of biopsy. Mine was negative for cancer and came back thickened skin - however - where it was is the exact same spot where I had the tumor on my tongue 6 years later- sooooo - here is advice I wish someone had given me - even if they do remove it - and it comes back negative for cancer - keep an eye on that area! Check it once a month - visually and palpate it . ( touch it to see if the area feels normal ) experts can't agree but some of them do say leukoplakia can be a precursor to cancer. Good luck and fingers crossed for you that it's good news. And the advice Christine and Anne Marie gave you is great see someone like an oral surgeon or ENT - and know what a thorough exam is.

Thank you so much for your encouragement. My dentist saw me immediately and all is in my mouth and nose. Still have neck pain - but possible result of previous car accident. Blessings, Marsy

Hello Cherlyd. ALL CLEAR! thank you SO much for your kind words of encouragement. God bless you too! Love Marsy

Hello Annemarie: Thank you for your encouragement. My dentist always does all those things - he saw me FIRST appointment he had and I am grateful it is all AOK. Bless you! Marsy

That is fantastic news... take care!

I too watched that Dr. Oz segment, and still have it saved to DVR.

Interestingly, Dr. Oz did another segment at one time where he actually had his own colonoscopy video'd for the audience. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out quite so well for him. (Read the story at link below.)

I used to regularly watch Dr. Oz, but then decided he was using too many scare tactics, and also with his focused concentration on healthy eating, if I followed all his advice, I'd be bankrupt. Who can afford to shop at Vitamin stores for expensive homeopathic plant derivatives on a regular basis? (For example.)

Dr. Oz had to confess after this that he really doesn't know everything, especially that following all his health hints doesn't necessarily mean you'll escape invasive critters. (I wonder if he's adjusted his own diet, which now must include a little crow.)

Kudos to Dr. Oz for this important story.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2075133_2075127_2075098,00.html

Hello,
I appreciated the links to the exam protocols. I really wish with all my heart that our dentist would have done these exams so that my husband's oral cancer could have been found earlier. I do believe that his dentist feels guilty, she apologized many times. I also think that his doctor should have realized when he had ear pain and a hard node on the left side of his neck for 6 months that something else was going on. So I will be sure to insist that I have those thorough screenings and do my own self exams at home.
Thank you.

Ellen,
I, too, wish my John's OC would have been caught earlier. He complained of a sore throat for months, and 3 docs told him 3x it was his allergies. If only it had, I dream that we would not be in the situation we are in now with mets to his lungs.

Perhaps I may join the 'awareness fray' and spread the word about OC to the many many people unaware of this evil disease and it's consequences. It truly needs more voices.

God bless you and your husband Bonnie! Will say a prayer next treatment works an remission happens! Hugs!

When I first saw my regular GP for the tongue pain, I was also having serious stringy saliva. He should have known right away that was a red flag that something else was going on and sent me off to an ENT specialist ASAP, not fooling around for another two weeks when I had to return to him as the pain got worse. C'est la vie.

Like most folks, Ellen, I think we tend to think something like a sore throat IS minor and will either resolve itself or trust an MD to prescribe something if it's more serious but not really serious, like strep throat. I know I scanned my Merk Manual for every conceivable thing this "thing" on my tongue might be and delighted myself every time I would come up with my own diagnosis. (Oh, okay, that's what it is...)But all it took was the ENT doc, whom I saw a good 4 weeks into the pain, who said in no uncertain terms "it's a tumor," and I put down the books and took it seriously. Because it was serious.

Here's hoping for a good outcome for your loved one.