In mid-February I went in for my regular dental checkup, when the hygienist noticed peculiar white patches in my mouth. She notified the dentist who stated it needs further examination from an oral pathologist.


I went and received a second opinion from a more established dentist, who stated that the patches were most likely frictional keratosis and to come back in 6 weeks for a biopsy if they do not go away. It has been 6 weeks but due to Coronavirus, all dental offices are closed and I cannot get examined. Furthermore, I've noticed some additional growths/lesions on areas that did not previously have any.

I called the dentist and he stated that it is nothing to worry about and he will reschedule me for an appointment once the office reopens.

I have a history of cancer (colon cancer 7 years ago) and was wondering whether this is something that needs to be examined immediately and warrant an emergency. I do not have a history of smoking or tobacco chewing. I am extremely worried that this could be something malignant given my history and I do not feel comfortable waiting for the diagnosis, especially if it is oral cancer.

Please Help...

Welcome to the forum. Please understand that we are a group of oral cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. We are not medical professionals and do not have any medical training. We are here to help by sharing our experiences and how we coped on the cancer journey. We are unable to diagnose and you won’t want us to anyway.

Your best course of action is to wait until you have seen your doctor and have had a biopsy. That way, you will have a definitive answer. In the meantime, reading as much as you can on the Oral Cancer Foundation main page will be helpful. The information is compiled and vetted by medical,professionals. The more you learn about oral cancer, the better you will be able to manage your condition if it does turn out after a biopsy that you have oral cancer.