Im a 34 yr old mom with juvinale diabetes and i also have very bad teeth,i always have an absess with white pus, but resently i discovered a hard lump in the top of my lip and gum and also a lump right near my lower jaw bone, the lump doesnt hurt but it definetly moves freely when i push on it,should i be worried?

Hello Sarah.
Yes, you should be worried. But DO NOT assume you have cancer. There are many ailments that have your symptoms. You need to see an ENT.(ear, nose and throat) Dr. immediately. Not a dentist, and Not a general doctor. It is very important to see an ENT. Express your concern and symptoms. Show him (tell) of all bumps if they are not visible. Time is a big factor. Try to get an appointment within a few days. You definately need to have this looked at! Any disease or ailment discovered early is much easier to treat. Good Luck and post back here. This is a great forum. But you are not a member until you have proof of cancer. We hope you do not join our club, but if you do we will roll out the red carpet for you. Sincerely, Petey
PS. If you have any more questions write them here tonight, or anytime. We are always here for you.

thank you very much, i will see a ent dr, i told my gp dr and he didnt care he just said to floss better!!

WOW! Was he late for golf???? I would never return to him, ever! As a matter of fact I would report him. If, and I say if...you have cancer, he is playing with your life. What ever happened to the hippocratic oath? You will get a few posts here now about this mans (I won't address him as a doctor) behavior, which is deplorable and despicable to say the least!!! Petey

im kinda stuck i have no medical and i have to go to a low cost clinic and i think thats why he didnt check anything(afraid he wouldnt get paid)

Yes, definitely go and see someone. I thought that I had an abcess and didn't have insurance. Come to find out it was cancer and it would get full and drain.

Hello Sarah
I'm in a simlar situation. I'm fighting for my treatment. No matter what our station in life is, everyone seeing a health professional deserves to be treated courteously and with dignity and respect. You gave no state, are you on Long Island? Whatever you do, you must see an ENT. Borrow the money if necessary. This could be the most important Dr appointment of your life. I can not begin to tell you how many people here have had a misdiagnosis. Or simply told it's nothing to worry about. Petey

im in upstae ny(near albany) Ive had Huge absesses on the roof of my mouth that the dr drained once but didnt seem to get it all then when it came back i drained it my self.once again it still feels like its there,this was a year ago and never checked my mouth then eather just poped the thing.

Wow, this thread really has me worked up.

First of all, Sarah, the only way you are going to get rid of your absceses is to either get the teeth extracted or have root canal treatment done. Living with abscessed teeth is a very dangerous thing. The infection that you are living with can travel to different parts of your body and if it causes a swelling in your neck, it could lead to a difficulty in breathing or even complete closure of your esophagus.

Don't get me wrong, yes, you might have cancer, but more than likely the swellings that you are having are related to abscesses that are not draining or at least, coming to a head. The only one that can treat you for these problems are a DENTIST and this should be your first stop. Rule out the most obvious cause of your problems and find out what the swellings really are and get an oral cancer screening done.

I have no intention of even discussing the person you went to that is supposed to be a physician and told you to floss better.

As far as Petey's suggestion of not going to a dentist, I feel that I must comment. He is not the first to make this statement and I certainly know where this is coming from. I am appalled at the number of our members that have had their dentist, hygienist and even their ENT miss their diagnosis. As most of you who know me know, I have made it my mission to try to educate the dental community about early detection and detection in general. There certainly is room for improvement in this area.

But, to rule out dentists as a source of oral cancer detection is unfair and inappropriate. There are many offices out there doing complete oral cancer screenings and one should ask if the office does them, before making an appointment. With Sarah's apparent dental needs, she would be best served getting her mouth in shape, while being checked for oral cancer.

Petey, I am not picking on you. You have my admiration for all that you have gone through so far and what you are about to go through. Your advocacy for the needs of oral cancer patients is to be admired. You have unfortunately, just touched a sore spot that has been festering in me for the last 2 years and I felt that now was the time to let my feelings be known.

Sarah, I hope that you take my advice and find a way to get the dental care that you have obviously needed for a long time and that in fact, you do not have cancer.

Jerry

thank u i will theres a free dental clinic near me ill try them i also need them to check my tongue i have a whitish discoloration on the right side and my tongue burns so ill have them check everything(well being a free clinic ill try to get everything checked)

Thank you , Jerry - I am planning to see my dentist and my periodontist soon and am putting together a list of questions for both. In fact I thought I would go in person to make the appointments so that I could drop off my list of questions and also some OCF brochures. I thought I'd ask if they knew of any free oral cancer screenings in the area, ask about the Velscope and will certainly ask if they do oral cancer screenings themselves. Do you have any other suggestions as to what would be appropriate for me to ask the dentist? I thought if I drop off my list of questions, they would have time to digest them and be ready for me when I come for my appt. Thanks for all you do.

.....must add my two cents worth: Jerry, your impassioned response is admirable...and appropriate. I do have a question about how to advise people about where to go when they first suspect oral cancer. I still am a bit un-clear about where to suggest that they go for lesions not directly related to the teeth--the dentist or the ENT.

I agree that one should ask the dentist about his methods for doing a cancer screening, but in my case, when I asked my dentist if my problem area could be serious, (I didn't then know about "cancer screenings" but I certainly knew about oral cancer in general) he reported that he had spent a significant time in a hospital setting getting training, so I could rest assured that my problem was only ANUG. He missed it THREE times....at two routine check-ups, cauterizing it on the second of those.....and at the end, when it had spread along my gumline and onto my palate, when he cauterized it again! He simply was NOT educated enough to recognize cancer when it stared him in the face!

So...asking is a good thing...and a good start.....but they all are going to say that yes, they do a cancer screening "every time I look in your mouth." That's not good enough. If they do not spend some time actually DOING a cancer screening, by moving your tongue around and wrapping it in guaze to retract it.....if they do not put in some effort and some time specifically for a cancer exam, then they are not doing a thorough screening. And these days, if you can find a dentist....like Jerry....who is knowledgeable enough and who understands the seriousness of the screening process well enough....to have equipped his office with a Velscope, or at least a Vizlight....then you know that you have found someone who can do a proper screening.

I didn't know enough at the time to ask my dentist all of these things, but he implied that he had the training to know the difference, and he did NOT, obviously.

So now it is my project too....to educate the public about their role in their own oral heath, especially the importance of becoming familiar with their own healthy mouths so that they can recognize something different when it comes along, and to respond quickly by seeking dental advice, AND to insist on a return visit in two weeks, to ascertain that, indeed, the recommended treatment was effective,and then to insist on a biopsy if the area has not improved. This would save much time and many overlooked lesions. The other side of my awareness project is to educate the public about the responsibility that the dental profession has and how they must question their own dentist to be sure that he or she is as motivated and educated as they should be to properly protect their patients. If you don't like their answers, then find someone else. And I want to emphasize to the dental profession their serious responsibility to their patients. If they have not had recent training, then they should spend their required continuing education hours in a refresher course in oral cancer discovery and diagnosis.

Jerry
No offense taken Jerry. We are all on the same page here which it's helping each other. I realized Sarah's need to have her dental problems attended to by a dentist. My main concern was the possibility of cancer. I always had good dentists. The last one of ten years ALWAYS did an oral cancer check every visit. When I had all my teeth extracted (pariodontal disease) an recieved dentures, it was the implant dentist that dropped the ball.

Sarah
I suggest you follow Jerry's advice. He is a DDS. And as you can see, very passionate about his profession. Jerry helps many people on this board and is a great promotor of Oral Cancer Awareness.Just make sure you get the cancer check. Make that your main concern to the dentist. With all your other dental problems, I would not want him to overlook the possibility of cancer. Esspecially with the lumps in your lip, gum and jaw bone. Keep us posted. Good Luck, Petey

Well i feel the need to jump in here.Robin went straight to the dentist when he developed an ulcer on his tongue .As it was directly below his one denture, he thought the denture was rubbing on his tongue and had made it sore.4 visits to the dentist over 6 MONTHS, a new denture and several hundreds of pounds later, the dentist was still telling him it looked sore and to put bonjela on it.It is apparent now that his tongue was catching his denture because his tongue was swollen ,not the other way round.I have reported the dentist to the General Dental council,and he is being investigated on the grounds of fitness to practise. No consolation to Robin who has had far more surgery and radiotherapy than he would have done if the blasted thing hadnt spread over those 6 months.

A simmering Liz in the UK

This is great, Colleen! Asking how a screening is done is just as important as whether they do it or not. I'm making a copy of these posts so I can get my dentist/periodontist questions ready!

Jerry..Maybe if I buy an air ticket from LA to PA every six months I could get a good rate and come to you for a good exam. It would be worth it!!

Or I can go to Houston, where I have found the closest dental practioner with a Velscope.

My next project is to get the Velscope rep to come here to make a presentation to the local Dental Association. They have field reps throughout the country.

Im so frustrated the free clinic cant get me in till july!!!! And the other people I called dont do oral cancer screenings,Looks like im gonna have to wait till july if the lump on my jaw gets bigger and the white ulcer thing on my tongue doesnt go away then i guess ill know!!! Im sorry to sound angry but it makes me angry that lack of medical can give u sometimes a death sentence...

Sarah,

I'm sorry that my post took over your thread. That was not my intention. I will be starting another thread (later tonight)in the Activism forum and hope that August, Petey, Anne-Marie and the rest of you pick up my suggestions in that thread. I will title it, "Helping Your Dentist Get With The Program"


Being in the situation of going to a free clinic certainly makes things more difficult. I'm sure that they are very busy. I am assuming that you called for an appointment. Perhaps you can go to the clinic and go up to the desk and explain your situation to the receptionist.

I would would tell them that you know that you have many dental problemns and have put off treatment for a long time. However, the reason you are there now is that you are very concerned that you may have oral cancer. Ask if there is a way that you could wait until one of the dentists has a break and perhaps he/she could take a look, to help put your mind at ease. Go at a time when you can spend some time waiting. Explain that you have an appointment in July which you will keep for your routine care, but that you are very anxious to find out what is going on with the lumps in your mouth.

I hope this can work for you. Please let me know.

Jerry

they said theres no way they can get me in they only have 2 drs till july and told me to go to the hospital

Sarah
WOW! July??? I need to make some apolgies to the Health Care System here in Florida. After I was confirmed by a biopsy that I DO HAVE CANCER, I ONLY HAD TO WAIT 5 WEEKS. (maybe the TV & Newspaper helped) It's been Eight days since then and I saw 1 Dr. who called me out of the goodness in his heart. Now they are back to jerking me off (around) again. SORRY, JUST VENTING!

Jerry
Do not feel bad about jumping on sarah's thread. In my 2nd response in this thread I told Sarah she would be getting a lot of posts about her treatment by that so called gp Dr. This is helping Sarah also. She now knows she is not alone! I am so upset that I did not want to post about it. ( Ground Hog's Day Syndrome! ) I'm giving them till Wednesday. Then I'm calling back the TV reporter and say we need to do that follow up segment sooner than he planned. Actually, it will be a redo. With me parading around the Palm Beach County Courthouse with a protest sign reading, AT WHAT STAGE OF DEATH DOES CANCER BECOME AN EMERGENCY? That might wake up a couple of a$$holes in Tallahassee! I might even shave my goatee to highlight the GOLF BALL SIZED LUMP UNDER MY JAW. It's anybody's quess how many Doctors won't notice it, but I'm willing to BET 10 out of 10 Lawyers pick up on it! Someone told me today to keep my chin up. I pointed to the GOLF BALL and said I HAVE NO CHOICE!

PS: Since being confirmed with cancer, I watched Tony Snow get diagnoises for a recurrance, have surgery and return to work. He may go Nuclear next week.

Thank you all for your support,i know its not confirmed but i think the waiting is the worst espeacialy when times so importent, im in nys and i think there ONE of the worst for people w/out medical

SARAH,


I to am in upstate NY and My Dr is at st clairs ..the BEST around I swear I owe him everything..I dont know about the abcess thing I would see a dentist for that personally ..but the white ulceration on your tongue !!God that is what I had ..and it was cancer..until you have it checked you wont know..They dont really want us posting DRS names on here , but if you want the name of a Dr in schenectady ( ENT) who Deals with this Just email me or Pm me ..MY Dr does and believe me I was nervous ..He has worked at sloan kettreing in manhattan and he is absolutley wonderful and amazing and compassionate and there anytime day or night I can't even say enough about this man or any of his collegues ..right now I am there youngest Pt but I think we all know the numbers are growing,PLEASE CONTACT ME !!!!! I AM sort of in your area 45 min...I am outside of amsterdam up on the sacandaga lake ! But I Dr in schenectady !

sarah

By the way ..I will do all i can to help you get coverage ..i am pretty famialr with all the insurance options avail to those with no ins ( i used to screen for ins and sign pts up for ins for a medical office and ..I will go to the press or anyone I have to to help you in this I promise ..so Get in touch with me , I am soo close to you and I dont wanna see you go with out ..NOt to mention all Dentist should be able to screen !

Hey Sharlee
Glad to see your feeling better. Why not send Sarah a PM. I'm sure she has never used it and this will "break the ice" so to sprak. Sharlee, do you think he might see her probono? She really needs to know and the stress, I'm sure, is setting in.

Sarah
I, Petey, am sending you a PM (private message). You will see a small message by the "log out" button. Click it and then you answer just like you are posting. The only difference is only the two people using it can view it. Petey

well im now having difficulty swallowing and i have a small bump in the top half of my throat and i still cant find anyone to help me, my mom was gonna try to help but wasnt able so i guess i wait till july

Sarah,

Do not wait until July, please take everyone's advice and Sharlee's offer of help and get checked out. My sister also had the white area on her tongue and it was SCC. Her dentist has been keeping an eye on it for years, as the biopsy had come back inconclusive. Finally when it started causing her much pain another biopsy was performed and then surgery. You need to get this checked out NOW, please do not wait, if it is cancer it will get worse quickly. My sister had good care, she's a dental hygienst, but has been fighting this cancer for over 2 years.

Please do not delay getting these issues checked out, and be vigilant in doing so. I hope you have family or friends who can help you.

Nancy

who do i call for a free cancer screening??? If i go to the hospital and tell them i need one would they do it? my tounge is starting to get numb and hurt and swollin and ive been unexplainably tired. maybe its stress i just dont know

Hey Sarah
I really do not know...If you go to the hospital emergency and say you can't swallow they may take you. I SAY MAY...this really sucks. Hey, check your PM. I sent one 2 days ago. Did you ever talk with Sharlee? Let us know. I will look back hear in a few hours. Petey
My E-mail is: [email protected]

OK I am posting this here as well as in a PM ... My Dr will see u and work somthing out as well as my dentist who has the velscope !!!!! You have great opportuntiy here !! He also will work somthing out .. My advice and If I am wrong please correct me ...I would do velscope 1st. SO GET A HOLD OF ME ON HERE >>>> I CAN even bring you if you dont have a way or dont want to go alone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give me your # or get ahold of me and I wll give you mine !

Hello Sarah
I hope you see this and read the above post from Sharlee. Check you PM, and call her.

Sharlee
Good Job! I just hope Sarah sees this. She has not posted in 3 days, and I also sent her a PM 3 days ago. She never replied.

Sarah, This Is A Great Opportunity to get the HELP you need....Please call Sharlee...

hi im sorry i havent been on my phone isnt working right i have to wait till fri to get a new phone and i just got my comp back today and its still not right!!!!!!ill give sharlee my e-mail im definetly want to see this dentist!!thank you everyone

Sarah


I sent you an email..as I said anything to help !