A cautionary tale. My mother (Helen) went to the dentist to have her dentures adjusted and showed him the sore on her tongue that she attributed to the dentures. He said it was just "like a fever blister" and that she should rinse with salt water.

She just happened to have a routine doctor's appointment the next day. She wasn't even going to mention her sore tongue to the doctor because the dentist said it wasn't anything to worry about. I mentioned it anyway, and the doctor took a look. He immediately set her up with an ENT appt. the same week. She was diagnosed with stage 2 oral tongue cancer.

This has certainly shaken our confidence in the dentist. What was he thinking? Should I call him and tell him he missed the cancer? Should I go back to him for dental care? If we hadn't had an already scheduled appt. with an M.D., my mother would still be rinsing her mouth and waiting for the sore to diminish!


Sandra
My mother's caregiver
Diagnosed 6/02 (at 84) with Stage 2 tongue cancer; surgery 7/02
Diagnosed June 03 with recurrence of tongue cancer and cancer of soft tissue under ear