My name is Elizabeth and I just realized that I may have done something incredibly stupid. I am 40 years old and a year ago I was getting a cleaning when the dentist (a student graduating from dental school) hit the nerve in my jaw. For 3 months after that, the pain started getting worse and worse until I could no longer eat and then for 3 months lived on nothing or just liquids (God love the makers of SlimFast and Ensure). After the 6 months, the jaw became better and I started eating again and I broke a filling out of one of my molars. The tooth broke in half and I tried to get it pulled but developed an abscess. During my round of antibiotics, I noticed a little white bump next to the tooth on the gum, on my lower jaw. I popped it, it drained, but kept coming back. I figured it was part of the abscess. Because I had a lung infection for 6 months (from christmas until June), I was on antibiotics constantly but it didn't go away. It was not painful so I didn't think about it much. One day I noticed that in place of the little white bump, there was a small growth, maybe 1/16" long. It wasn't painful either and when I pushed it with my fingernail, it came off, bled, and I figured that was the end of it. Little did I know, but it grew back with a vengence and is now about 1/8-1/4" wide, not circular, not painful. I also found lumps under my arm which I went to my doctor today to get checked. she said it was probably my lymph nodes and scheduled me for a mammogram. Tonight I was researching cancer and came across your site and it finally hit me that the lump on my gum could possibly be something serious. Needless to say, the stupid part was that I failed to mention the lump to my MD because it didn't hurt and I didn't think of it. Tomorrow I will call for an appointment with a dentist. Please think good thoughts for me.

Elizabeth

Good luck Elizabeth.

I'm sending good thoughts. I'm sure you will be fine. It's good to get it checked though.

Let us know how you make out.

Michelle

Hi Elizabeth
Good Luck first of all. My cancer started in my gum and at first my dentist thought it was an absess but after 4 days it did not respond to antibotics so she referred me to an oral suregeon. Luckily mine was caught early with the help of my dentist and oral surgeon...thank godness my oral surgeon wanted to do a biospy. You are doing the right thing.
Cathy

Thank you for your thoughts though I have run into problems. I was disabled 3 years ago and laid off from my job. I applied for SSDI which was turned down and am now waiting on an answer to my hearing (they made a decision on April 11, 2003 and are STILL typing it up and said I have 3-5 MORE months of waiting). Meanwhile, because my VA disability check (my sole source of income) is $201, I make too much money to get a medicaid card and won't receive one until or if the SSDI is approved.

To get my gum checked out, I tried to go to the Health Department since I have no income nor insurance. Well that place is a joke. They only see people on Mondays and Thursdays, only the first 10 people, only if it is an emergency, and only for extractions, no screenings or anything else. None of the dentists nor oral surgeons in town will see me anytime soon nor can I afford their prices. So I made an appointment with Ohio State Dental School's Clinic, which I had said I would never return to because last year during a routine cleaning (they totally numb all the jaws of patients having cleanings for final exams for the students), they hit the nerve in my jaw, causing severe pain and inability to eat ANYTHING except ensure, slimfast etc. for 6 months last year. Well the soonest they can get me in is the 25th at 9am and that's for the initial screening. Will let you all know how it goes.

Elizabeth,
Do you have a VA facility near you or one that you could get to fairly easily? I am assuming that you might have veteran's health benefits but that may not be the case. If you do, however, you may have better luck getting to to see someone there.
Amy

Elizabeth,
I just spoke to the Chief of the Bureau of Oral Health Services for the Ohio State Health Department and explained your situation. He would like you to give him a call today (check your email for the number)so he can get more information from you and see what he can do to help you. I hope this helps.
Amy

As far as the VA facility, yes, there's one in Columbus, but since I am only 20% service connected disabled, they won't treat me at the dental clinic. (and just for a screening when my jaw nerve was hit, it took a month to get in to see them, that's when they told me that unless it was for something service connected, they couldn't help me.)

Snowleopard,

Did you read he above post from Amy? You have en email waiting with a phone number to call!!

Eileen

Amy,

That was a really nice thing to do!!!!

Take care,
Dinah

Dinah took the words right out of my fingers, Amy. You are a wonderful addition to this forum. Your generosity must come from a very big heart!
Joanna