Hi guys, I am 28 now. No history of chewing tobacco but used to smoke years ago and quit when I was 22/23 but am a social smoker now.

A couple years ago I noticed I had a pimple growing very quickly in my mouth and with in a few hours it popped with liquid. It then became a bump in my mouth which seems like a scar tissue forming under the skin. I went to dentist he saw it, said "its nothing to worry about, could be from blocked salivary duct." I stopped worrying.

Year following (a little more than a year ago) I went to another dentist due to my change of dental insurance. He too was unsure about it. But by then it had gone from just one, to like 2 or maybe even 3 similar bumps.

To describe the bumps, they're not visible to eyes, but can be felt under the skin with tongue. They are in different sizes now, but they don't grow. The very first one has been the same size for about 2 years. Not raised but like a clot of tissue under.

They are all located on the right side of the mouth, inside cheek in various places, between gum to middle of the cheek.

Only one is located on the left side, but they mostly appear on my right side. They don't seem to go away. And now I'm confused.

Also, my mouth seem to be a lot drier than it used to be before. But I don't get canker sores when I started using Sensodyne tooth paste around 2 years ago.

First I would recommend stopping the tobacco use. It has many chemicals in it which are irritants to your mouth. When using tobacco, you are upping your odds of developing all kinds of problems, lung cancer, oral cancer, COPD, to name a few. Do yourself a huge favor and quit so you dont have to jeopardize our health. I know quitting is not easy, I am a former smoker. Whats much harder than quitting? Battling oral cancer!

If you have a sore in your mouth that has been there for over 2 weeks then you should see a professional to get it checked out. It does not sound like it is an open sore but more of a lump inside your cheeks/mouth. Unfortunately not all dentists are able to recognize oral cancer. Have they ever given you an oral cancer screening at your check up visits? If not, you should ask for one or switch to a dentist where they do the screenings. From what you have said, I doubt you have oral cancer. It does not usually appear in several places at once. Its not possible to guess what is going on in your mouth over the internet. I would suggest you make an appointment with an ENT or oral surgeon who is familiar with oral cancer. There are all kinds of things that it could be. Best thing to do is not put it off, get it checked out. They may need to do a biopsy to determine whats going on. Help yourself by getting rid of the tobacco so what ever is going on can heal.

Best wishes!

Thanks Christine. I don't have insurance so it's not as easy for me to just change doctor. But will do.

Also, could xray show anything? Because I've had x-rays done at the dental offices I visited.

I don't think regular dental x-rays would pick it up; only a biopsy would determine it for sure. My dentist told me he thought mine was cancerous as soon as he saw it, but sent me to an oral surgeon for a biopsy so we would know for sure.

What did yours turn out to be?

Remember, mine hasn't grown in 2 years, it's the same size Just more are growing now in the last few months

Many dentists wouldn't recognize an oral cancer if it crawled out of your mouth and smacked them alongside the head. Save your money and find an ENT or head & neck surgeon with proven H&N cancer experience.

In all fairness to dentists, many never see an OC in their entire career.

The so called "dental screening" has me highly suspicious as most OC is at the base of the tongue or tonsils which are out of normal visualization for dentists and hygienists.

Some call merely looking under your tongue a "cancer screening". That's what they did to me. My dentist has stopped performing OC exams altogether (probably from the advice of his attorney). If they are only going to give you a half assed exam and a false sense of security what's the point?

OCF has worked long and hard to convince the ADA of the importance of OC exams during annual or semiannual prophylaxsis with little success. After all, the head and neck area is a medical specialty, and for a good reason.

IMO you probably have some medical issue other than OC but GET an opinion from a specialist to set your mind at ease. If it IS cancer than you want to start treatment very quickly to insure that your staging remains stable.

Hi and welcome i hope you dont have to be here, but we're a friendly group if you do- my tumor was inside my tongue, firm, and grew in size very slowly over 4 years. There was no pain with it initially (the skin on the surface of my tongue was red though and inflamed and towards the end painful but it wasn't an open sore.) It doesn't sound like a plugged salivary gland if there are more than one. I personally would go to an ENT to have it checked out and ask them to biopsy it - some times your age an history make a dr. Say no automatically - because you really don't fit the profile for cancer patients - however, there is a fair percentage of us here that are younger with no precursors for this disease. The best thing to do is get an experienced second opinion. Take care and best of luck

Thanks guys! I got my fingers crossed. I called this place yesterday and asked them about biopsy, she calmed me down and said "listen, don't worry too much, come in first lets see and we can tell you if you need it."

Not sure if I am allowed to put their website or not but they're called Rockville Dental Arts.

I noticed they have oral cancer screening and oral surgery dept. Looking at their reviews I am glad I found them. They are giving me a free visit because I told them I didn't have insurance.

I got my fingers crossed!

Good luck - my fingers are crossed for you too!

Whats your aversion to seeing a qualified ENT? Are you shopping for the answer you want to hear?

So went to the dentist, he said I have to see the oral surgeon. They also do biopsy there. The reason he came up under that term because he does teeth surgery. He noticed heavy dryness in my mouth. He said no glands were swollen, but at the same time he's not sure why my saliva glands aren't producing a lot of saliva from under my tongue. Now I am waiting for my 2nd appt.

Scared now to be honest and having a lot of thoughts going through my head at the moment.

Eating anything salty could inhibit your saliva flow.

Most of us with chronic salivary function issues have it as a result of radiation therapy, not as an indicator of OC.

I reiterate, why won't you make an appointment with a qualified ENT?

Hi
I am waiting for a biopsy appointment. It has been scheduled for 8th February. I am struggling a bit with the wait as I have been alerted to a large nasty looking painless open ulcer inside my cheek which has developed on a large white patch. I have large white patches on the inside of both cheeks. I am 56 years old. My GP (who has worked as a registrar in the ENT dept of our local hospital for 3 years previous to beoming a GP) says it is lichen planus and must be biopsied. The first time I was a ware I had lichen planus was two years ago when my dentist called in her colleague to take a look. They both said it was nothing to worry about and lots of people have it. The next time I went (in November 2011) she said it had ulcers and she would refer me to the maxofacial dept to get it checked out. I have now seen that I have a number of smaller ulcers emerging which are also painless, and long white hard strings running from the biggest ulcer into my gum which has a hard lump on it. Also my tonsil on that side of my mouth has a few little white bumps on it.
I know I will find out in good time but I just wanted to tell someone how it feels to wait and not know what will come next. I am sure it is cancerous. I also get earache on that side. I am really tired all the time but sleep doesn't seem to help much, though I sleep a lot. I feel these things could be psychosomatic due to fear of cancer. Can anyone comment on all these symptoms for me. The truth does not frighten me. My husband is a leukaemia survivor and I believe in miracles! We have been through the hell that this forum describes with his treatments, and he is now on three weekly blood transfusions, six monthly visits to the specialist and living a happy, normal life.

Hi Carebear!

Welcome to OCF! Hey just an FYI it's always best to start your own thread when introducing yourself so that we can focus exclusively on your concerns rather then on someone elses post. It just heads off confusion.

Since you have seen medical professionals and have scheduled an appointment you are ahead of the game my friend! Now just be the squeeky wheel to get the biopsy moved up if only for peace of mind. It's hard to put that kind of thing out of your mind until the test and results are in so tell whoever scheduled you that far out they're an insensitive dick. I've always found that I can get just about anything I want by knowing how to ask for it.

Good luck and again welcome to OCF!

Eric

Hi there - I totally agree with Eric, make noise!!!! If it is cancerous it can move very quickly! I wouldn't wait - seriously !! It could very well be something other than cancer, however, I was told they thought what I had was lichen planus too.. and the earache - I had one as well. Though earaches can be caused by numerous things. Have you been checking your lymph nodes? I would call the specialist offer to take any cancellations etc.. Tell them you are very worried. Etc... Good luck! Fingers and toes crossed its not cancer!