Suzanne,

My tongue pain started late November 2007, my regular Doctors were not concerned. They all said it's nothing, I had no sore and my tongue would only hurt in that location when I ate spicy foods. Later, other products would bother that location. Then a sore developed, then an earache that was persistent and eventually it felt like my teeth were going to fall out. The tooth pain would come and go. Long story short, after my surgery and the tumor was removed--earache and tooth pain was gone and I was able to eat spicy food again! Radiation took care of that...

Stay on top of it...I would get another opinion. Others here would have more info but I believe a brush biopsy is another option.

Thomas Jefferson is another good hospital in Philly.

A nurse associated with my hospital but not my ENT said that within the last two or three years she noticed a few people from the Philly region coming in to see him. If you want, PM me and I'll send you his name and office number. Allentown is about 45-60 minutes with no traffic using the turnpike. Not sure how far you are. Looking back, for a second opinion in a timely fashion I would have gone anywhere. My ENT said I should have seen him back in January or February 2008 when I had no sore visible. I found out the hard way that not all doctors even some specialists know what OC is.