During my 6 month check up on Wednesday this week, my dentist noticed that one of three white bumps that were on the side of my tongue during my last visit, has grown quite a bit and she referred me to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. Today I called to make an appointment with the OS, and the soonest they can get me in is three weeks from today, for a consultation, then the biopsy would happen some time after that. Is that a standard period of time to wait once the "alarm" has been sounded? We always hear about "catching it early" but is three - five weeks going to make a difference if it's been growing for 6-8 months already? Just wondering if I should try a different OS that can maybe get me in sooner. Or are they all usually this busy? Thanks in advance for your insight.

No that is a long time to wait. I would suggest going to another oral surgeon or ENT. If you called today a reasonable amount of time would be to go in sometime next week for the consult then the biopsy the following week.

If the sores were present during your last dental exam, it should have been checked then. If a sore has been in your mouth longer than 2 weeks it needs to be checked out. It could be any number of things. Please call Monday morning for the earliest appointment you can get. Oral cancer isnt something to play around with. Best of luck.

Having to wait when it comes to the possibility of a cancer diagnosis is the very worst kind of waiting and very stressful. My son's experience was a little different from what yours seems to be and I'm sure you will hear from others with more recent experience or that more closely resembles yours. My son didn't have little white bumbs but a larger purplish lump on the side of his tongue. After his biopsy results came in, the oral surgeon's office made an appointment for two weeks away with the Head and Neck surgeon but after we called expressing concern, the H&N surgeon's office moved it up to the next business day (from Friday to the following Monday). So it's possible for them to do this. It might save you a little bit of worry to call and ask to have an appointment a little sooner. Or have someone call for you who can be forceful but polite and nice with the office person scheduling appointments. Maybe your dentist could call the oral surgeon to see if they could get you in sooner?

I started with my Dentist the first part of Jan, he said, lets wait and see, back again at the end of January lets try steriods, I was told it looks like cancer the 1st of Feb by a different Dentist. I had to wait 2 weeks to have the consult with the Oral Surgeon, then it was a week to have the biopsy, then a week for the results, then a week to see the ENT, then a week for the CAT/PET Scan it went on and on until the Radiation Oncologist got me in to Moffitt Cancer Center the first of April and surgery 2 weeks later. If I knew then what I know now this would have never happened.

See a different Oral Surgeon ASAP.

Thanks all. I feel better now about not just waiting like "a good little patient"! I will definitely pursue this with more urgency now. I appreciate the advice :-)

Good for you, jlew - let us know what happens.