It would hurt to have it checked but it would be highly unlikely that HPV caused your cancer due to the location, HPV is often base of tongue - tonsillar - or oropharyngeal (throat area) I do have to say I think it's a possibility the composite of the cap - I thought the same thing - because my tongue haD been irritated for a time due to my molar, but only after I had it capped thats when I began to have a real problem, then a second cap beside it made it worse.

They say some of he composites cause an llergic reaction that mimic lichen planus - and chronic irritation does cause cell chance - I think it's very possible. Take care! Ps sorr but my last posting it's to late to repair the typos and. iPad has a mind of its own!

Hi,
I have been told that if it is oral tongue cancer it will not be HPV, but mine was checked for that anyway, and found to be negative, at the first medical center I was at.

I hope you don't wait until your regular check-up to ask for the referral to a PT, unless the appointment is very soon.

Regarding what caused your cancer, it is unlikely you will ever know for certain. Some of us have histories that include irritation of some sort in the mouth. That could have set us up for problems, but that may not be the only cause. I have read that lowered immunity can be a cause for oral cancer. I always thought my immunity was really good, but the summer my cancer symptoms appeared I also had poison ivy, not once but twice. And I, like others in my family, had not gotten it before, despite I am sure being around it. I also got an infection in my eye from a contact, never had that happened before. I also had an apthous lesion (canker sore) on my tongue, I thought. One ENT I consulted told me that apthous lesions do not turn into squamous cell carcinoma, but they could be irritants. So, go figure. Maybe, maybe, and maybe . . .

What we can do is go forward from here.

Best,
Anne

Oh I don't intend to wait until my next appointment on the 16th to ask for PT. I'm emailing my doc's nurse assistant tonight to ask for it.

With respect to immune issues - let's put it this way... I have not been sick - so much as a cold even - in literally years. My husband has had sinus infections and colds yet I have remained healthy. The last time I was "sick" was over 4 years ago - that's the last time I had a cold. In my own case, I wouldn't buy a lowered immunity. I do feel in my gut that there is a strong link to dental work. Just as I felt in my gut that I should talk to my dentist about my tiny, persistent tongue sore, which turned out to be SCC.

My old dentist's words still ring in my ears - when he put in the original partial crown (which later broke and was the beginning of my cancer story) - he said "this is a relatively new material on the market - supposed to be practically indestructible." Less than a year later, it broke...

Multiple people I've met with SCC have also had no other factors besides some sort of dental work, which went awry.

If there is dental material being used, which can cause oral cancer, I would think that it is vitally important that this be brought to light in order to avoid future suffering... I'm guessing that a lot of those materials aren't tested by creating an irritation on a rat's tongue and then persistently rubbing the irritation with the material contained in these types of dental work...

Let's just say - I am not prepared to just "accept" that cancer appeared out of nowhere in my mouth "just because."

While there are always probably new materials around, I only had one restoration in my mouth (still do), a crown on a molar, porcelain over metal. I had it for over 20 years, result of a cracked tooth. I had to have it replaced recently as the margins were not as good anymore, little more gum recession there. Same materials used.

Count me out of the oral cancer caused by dental materials group. But other than this crown, I have not needed any other kind of dental work.

Oddly enough, while I think my immunity was being challenged, I did not get colds either. Immunity is a highly complex subject, really.

Glad you are getting the PT referral now.

Best,
Anne

I didn't realize when I created my profile here that Gwyneth Paltrow's father, Bruce had died of Oral Cancer. What an odd coincidence that my husband and his friends gave me the nickname Pepper after the first Iron Man film came out (after Gwyneth's character Pepper Potts). Since then, I use the nickname everywhere - both because it's spunky like me, and because my given name (Kellyn, pronounced kelleen) is always butchered no matter how often I correct...