Please hear me out.

In June, I visited a dentist after quite a while. He noticed white lacy patterns on the inside of my cheeks. He told me these were lesions due to excessive biting of cheek, but also from smoking. I quit immediately and was very scared.


I immediately consulted an oral surgeon. He examined it, and told me it was nothing to worry about. But he performed biopsy anyway and about a week later, the results came back negative. He said I didn't have anything.

My mind was put to rest a little bit. However, I became hypervigilant about checking my mouth. I would frequently rub my tongue along the sides of my cheek to see if there was anything wrong.

About 2.5 weeks ago, I noticed a blister under my tongue. It looked like a typical water blister, but a bit longer. I also noticed my tongue was quite sore and it hurt when I bent it in certain ways.

About 2 weeks ago, I patted the sore, blister area with some toilet paper, and the blister came off, exposing a reddish, raw spot. For a day it hurt quite bad, but it seems to have been healing since then and now it is not immediately painful but still noticeably sore when I twist my tongue in certain ways.

The right side under my tongue also looks noticeably different from the left side. There is spot that is somewhat more 'raw' and redder. Basically it is directly above my bottom teeth, so I'm hoping that this is a traumatic ulcer from too much rubbing or biting. But still, I am extremely scared. I'm visiting an Oral Surgeon tomorrow for an examination.

But the reason I posted here is, did anyone experience anything like this ?

I keep thinking its because of trauma, constantly rubbing my tongue along my teeth and cheeks, but I am quite worried it's cancer.

Welcome to the forum.

Please understand that we are all patients or caregivers. We do not have any medical training and we really cannot answer your questions — nor would you want us to — it will be most irresponsible of us. I would suggest that you go back to the oral surgeon you have seen and let him/her know that things have changed. You would get a knowledgeable, professional opinion that way.

Welcome to OCF! I hope you have nothing serious and will not need our help. But if you would, you're in good hands. Any sore someone has in their mouth for 2-3 weeks that has not healed on its own should be checked by a professional. By "professional" I am referring to an ENT who specializes in treating oral cancer patients. That type of specialist has had extended training in things like what you are describing and should be able to give you some answers, possible guesses as to exactly what your spot is. Only thru a biopsy (you already had this done and it was negative) would any physician be able to tell you for certain exactly what your "spot" could be. Since our site in made up of patients and caregivers without medical backgrounds (or years of medical schooling and clinical experience working with patients) we are not qualified to diagnosed anyone weather they are in person or by looking at photos. Even an experienced doctor can only give a guess with an exam, photo, etc. The biopsy is whats necessary to look further and give a diagnosis.

My suggestion is to stop immediately leave it alone!!! Stop irritating the area by rubbing it and stop checking it in the mirror, give it time to heal itself. If you are a smoker or tobacco user (any form --- even e-cigs) quit using it immediately and give your mouth a chance to heal. If using mouthwash make sure to only use it how the directions say and only use a non-alcohol type of mouthwash.

Most "spots" turn out to be non-cancerous, especially in cases where the patient is further irritating the area by poking and rubbing it. Please do yourself a big favor and relax. Being upset and worrying will only make things worse, it will not ever help any sore to heal. From what you described, to me it does not sound like its cancer. It sounds like what you would expect to find in any blister that popped (for example if you had one on your hand) exposing a red spot underneath. Normally cancer does not come and go like how you described, cancer does not rub off or change from day to day either. Hopefully your spot will turn out to be nothing serious.

Good luck!!!