Hello everyone. I have a white substance on my tongue and I got online to do some research about it. I was looking at some pictures of Thrush, but it did not match up exactly right. I came across some pictures of oral cancer and was shocked at the similarity. Especially since it is "cancer" that sort of jumped out at me. I do not want to jump to conclusions since I don't know what it is yet, but there is a striking resemblance to some of the pictures I have been seeing of the whiteness on the tongue. It's about 1:30am here so there isn't much I can do right now. This has been coming and going for about a year now but lately it has been seriously bothering me.

I'm not one to worry seeing as I never had anything beyond a common cold. Missed 3 days of school in my life. But I think I should give a doctor a call tomorrow and see if I can't get this looked at to see what they say. Believe it or not my biggest concern is not my health. I am a contracted Army ROTC Cadet and have seen the Army kick men out for things like a mild form of asthma. I don't know what they would say to something like this, but I would be lost without a career in the Army. Perhaps if there is anybody here who is in the medical field I could take a picture of my tongue and post a link to the picture if that would help. Like I said, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I have a bad feeling here.

If it is oral cancer, then I suppose this board could be good as a place to meet people going through the same thing. To all of those who are diagnosed and to their families, god bless you and I wish you the best of luck.

KW,
why do you think that you are at risk for oral cancer? Are you a smoker, chew tobacco, heavy drinker? If you are in ROTC then you are probably pretty young and in a statistically uncommon group for head & neck cancer.

Why do you think you have thrush? Typically there has to be a pH imbalance or dry mouth to cause that. It's common for post treatment cancer, AIDS, patients and others with a compromised immune system.

You can drive youself nuts trying to Dx this on the internet. It really takes a specialist as this is a very complex area of the body. Make an appointment with an ENT and set your mind at ease. There are many things it could be besides cancer.

Yes, go to an ENT or an oral surgeon. You say it has "been coming and going" for a year which makes me think it isn't oral cancer (also it's exremely rare someone as young as you would get oral cancer). Tongue cancer doesn't come and go--it comes and stays.

But you should get it looked at by a professional just to be sure.

Nelie

Gary, I agree. It very well may not be oral cancer but it looks just like it. I do smoke cigars on occasion and do drink. When I was a baby thrush used to cover my entire mouth. There are many things it could be, but from my uninformed point of view, of all the possible things it could be that I have looked at, it seems to best fit the description of oral cancer. But like I said, I don't want to jump to any permanent conclusions until I see an expert.

Nelie, it hasn't necessarily been coming and going. The whiteness on my tongue came and stayed there, but the irritation, numbness, and soreness of my jaw are what come and go.

I scheduled an appointment with my dentist for later this week. I haven't been to the dentist in about two and a half years anyhow so it's about time I go for a check up. I'll let you know what they said. Thanks.