I understand your fear of the doctors missing something entirely. It happened to my husband. However, trying to find your answer or a “diagnosis” on the internet is not the way to go. In your case,I really would get a referral to an ENT who specializes in oral cancer (not a general ENT). The doctor needs to have seen multiple cases of oral cancer to know what he’s looking at and if it warrants a biopsy. When my husband went to see the ENT, initially they scoped him and then ordered a biopsy. They would not say it’s oral cancer until after that. That’s how careful they have to be.

I understand you’re in the UK (I am in Canada where we have socialized medicine as well) so I don’t know how flexible the NHS is. But you should go to your GP and ask for a referral to an ENT, not a dentist or the orthodontist, for a second opinion. It may mean some waiting. My husband waited six weeks for his appointment. But any kind of referral will take time no matter where you live — thst’s the feeling I get. If you are worried, then get on with the process as soon as you can.