I fear I have mouth cancer. Googleing oc has pretty much became an obsession of my at this point. I'm 24. I rarely drink(less than 5 beers in the last year). I've either chewed or smoked for the last 10 years (Chewed 7-8 of those years, have recently quit). I've recently become engaged and am starting to clean my life up. My gums around my teeth and my cheek have a burning/tingling(Haven't chewed on this side for over 5 years if that matters any). It doesn't happen all the time, but does happen very frequently. I constantly feel pain around these teeth(top left side, first 4 teeth). Until about a month ago I've used orajel to ignored this pain. It's been going on for about a year(dentist adv that I was using orajel to much and actually causing damage to my gums from it, so I stopped using it). My cheek has a few spots that feel slightly rough with my tongue. These areas are also slightly sore, and tend to come and go. The dentist told me that this is from chewing on my cheek, although I don't chew on my cheek. The gland inside of this cheek hurts to touch it. Also it's pretty swollen.I feel pain/tingling between my left eye and my teeth. This also comes and goes but is pretty frequent. My teeth hurt when I breath through my nose, again on the top left side. For a while I've had a cotton ball in my ear. It doesn't hurt, I just don't hear out of it normally. With out the cotton ball I have tunnel hearing. Everything is much louder and echoes. The lymph nodes under this ear are swollen, but don't hurt. I've been to the dentist three times since may 1. I've had him do a cancer screening twice. Both consisted of him feeling around my cheeks/jaw line and inside of my mouth. He has also used two different types of lights (one was just a blue light, the second was white, blue, and green). He has found nothing. (also did x-rays of my teeth). After my first dentist apt I went to a walk in clinic and was told I had a sinus infection. I went through that set of antibiotics. Returned to the dentist complaining of teeth pain yet again. The dentist said it was nothing in my mouth. After the first set of antibiotics I went to my normal gp, he verified that I was given an oc screening, and said it was a sinus infection and gave me another round of antibiotics. I'm still in the process of taking these at this time. At this point I returned to the dentist to have him do a second oc screening just to be safe. Has told me what ever my issue is that it isn't in my mouth. He has scheduled an apt for an ent(July 22). I work in a call center. As such I'm constantly talking. This constant burning of my cheek and teeth are starting to drive me crazy. I used to be able to ignore it with orajel, but I can't use this because of the damage that it causes. As I've said earlier I'm obsessed with Google and oc. I'm terrified that I have oc. Working in a call center gives me unlimited internet access while at work. I've venture to say I'm spending 2-3 hours a day just looking up oc. I need help. Any suggestions on where I should go from here? I was thinking of trying to find another dentist for a 2nd opinion but I'm not sure...

Im very glad you have found OCF!

I have a few suggestions for you. Please stop attempting to diagnose yourself thru google! While it has helped you to find the OCF forum, Im sure it also found a whole lot of other not so helpful websites. If you are spending hours every day looking up your symptoms thats way too much! You really need to find something more productive to do with your internet time. Im sure you have seen some pretty bad photos of oral cancer that can at the very least make you worry, it can also scare a person to death. Worrying causes stress which can in turn alter your perception of the situation. Step away from the internet and give yourself time to think this thru calmly and clearly without a million "what if's" going thru your mind. Looking up info can get you upset and make you worry more than necessary so please do yourself a favor and avoid it.

Something that should help you to feel a little better is that oral cancer symptoms do not come and go. The light your dentist used would find any abnormal tissue in your mouth, so that good news that nothing lit up.

When did you quit using tobacco? If you have been using it for years the damage you have done cant be undone overnight. I hope you can remain tobacco free! I was a former smoker and I am now missing half of my lower jaw because of my bad habit. Please use this scare as your wake up call to eliminate tobacco from your life forever. I wouldnt wish what I have been thru on my worst enemy.

By seeing an ENT who specializes in oral cancer should help you to get to the bottom of whats going on. I hope its nothing serious.

Best wishes!!!

Thanks for the response. It's only been about a week since I've been 100% free of tobacco. I started mixing real chew with the fake herbal mixes. Over the course of 4 weeks I went from 25%fake to 100% fake. I'm still chewing, just using the fake herbal chew in it's place. I'm not sure that this ent specializes in oral cancer.. I know that they are trained to deal w/oc, but do some actually specialize in it?

I suggest you completely eliminate putting anything except food and beverages (non-alcoholic) into your mouth. Even though its herbal you dont know for sure what is in there. It could still have some irritants. Always better safe (by eliminating any irritants) than sorry and wondering if you made things worse down the road if you do have a serious problem.

Some ENTs will primarily deal with OC patients while others will focus more on hearing aids or even putting tubes in childrens ears. The tube docs may still treat an oral cancer patient every once in a while but they arent up to date on all the latest info and procedures. Its a very good idea to ask when you make your appointment if the doctor sees more people with OC or people for hearing aids, etc.

[quote=bubba4289]I'm spending 2-3 hours a day just looking up oc. I need help. Any suggestions on where I should go from here? I was thinking of trying to find another dentist for a 2nd opinion but I'm not sure... [/quote]

Hi Bubba,

As a survivor, I know what it's like to be worried you have cancer. In your situation, based on what I read, I wouldn't be as worried. Cancer symptoms don't come and go. For instance, my cancer started with swollen glands that never went away (until they were cut out in a neck dissection). I didn't have any pain, just those persistent swollen glands that kept growing and growing. Once cancer gets a hold of you, it doesn't stop until treatment makes it stop. If anything, symptoms would be persistent and worsen.

Your dentist didn't find anything so that's a HUGE positive. If you're still concerned, a visit to an ENT that deals with H&N cancers would be next.

However, the first thing I would do based on the end of your post is stay away from Dr. Google! Perhaps a visit with a counselor to talk about the health anxiety you're experiencing would be beneficial.

One more thing....QUIT TOBACCO!!! I was a smoker and drinker for 35 years prior to cancer AND my cancer was HPV+... talk about a double whammy!

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

When I say the symptoms come and go thats over the period of a few hours. Sometimes I'll have pain when I wake up and it will go away in a few hours. Sometimes it starts midday and goes until I go to bed.

ChristineB: I'm going to give myself a week of 100% fake stuff before I stop using it fully. I think it will make adjusting to nothing easier.

Fishman: How would I go about finding a counselor to talk with? I haven't chewed in over a week .

Hi Bubba,

Perhaps someone you know has had some counseling and could recommend them. Here's a website directory that may help you locate a counselor in your area. http://www.networktherapy.com/

Look Bubba, I'm not a doctor but nothing you presented made me go "Hmmmm.. that doesn't sound good". You're too young to be so stressed over an illness like oral cancer. I'm not saying it's impossible but based on what you described, it's improbable in my opinion . The best way to avoid ever having to worry about this is to quit tobacco forever. I'm not sure of the age cutoff but I did see that the HPV vaccination is good to get up until age 26. Maybe that could offer you some peace of mind. It's becoming more prevalent that H&N cancers are being caused by the HPV virus. However, it's a very small percentage and typically doesn't affect people of your age.

Follow up with your PCP about the sinus infection if your glands are still swollen but give the meds time to work. If they're going down during the course of meds, give it at least a week after you finish for the drugs to finish their job. If they persist ask for a referral or recommendation to an ENT that is experienced in H&N cancers.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

I'll check out that site. What is a pcp?

Primary Care Physician or General Practitioner

Ah ok. He told me that if all of this didnt clear up that he was going to send me to an ent.. But the dentist beat him to it.

For my peace of mind what kind of tests should I be asking the ent for? I have pretty good insurance. Going to start calling the ent every morning and try to get an sooner apt.

Show he ENT your areas of concern - describe your issues fully, and he may scope you and possibly biopsy the area. he may even sent you for a scan...

Ok thanks Cheryl.

Got my apt moved to Friday for the ent. Hopefully I'll find something out then.