What do you mean by "...and such". Like you chew tobacco or something even dumber or more disgusting than not maintaining your oral hygiene(your girlfriend puts up with that?)?

Having been down that path, I wouldn't trust a dentist OR an oral surgeon to make an accurate diagnosis. Although some have been very fortunate to get an early detection from their dentist. Brian's working on changing that.

"Painless" is not good. Infections are usually always accompanied by pain. Cancer is usually painless although not always. There are also benign things it could be (which could also be painless so don't freak out yet).

Your age is working for you but don't let people blow sunshine up your ass and tell you that "people your age rarely get cancer". If it doesn't respond to antibiotics within a week or two (most of us go through a round or 2 of antibiotics before they start to get serious) get a referal to a competent ENT or head & neck surgeon and insist on a biopsy.

Oral cancers can be be very aggressive once they find a good blood supply. My head & neck surgeon told me that my tumor probably got started 1-2 years prior to the Dx. It was quite large by time they zapped it.

I compliment you for seeking us out and having the courage to get to the bottom of it quickly. Oral cancer is nothing to fool around with. Just don't drop the ball.