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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / October 2005I have a lesion on the inside of my cheek.
Hey everybody. I am an 18 year old male from California. I have one question only really. About 7 months ago, my dentist found a lesion on the inside of my left cheek. It is about the size of a tiny pea, and has a greyish, sometimes whitish coloring to it. Most of the time it looks as if there is a whitish circle with a greyish tint in the middle. I have been using a beta carotene mouthwash, although I still smoke. I work in a extremely fast paced job, and my smoking habit is one thing I have not been able to kick yet. My dentist didn't say anything about it, just that he would biopsy it the next time. Does anyone here know how long it takes for a lesion like mine to become cancerous? From what I have read it usually takes decades for someone to develop oral cancer, but I would like to kick smoking before I catch that nasty disease. So anyhelp would be great. > Hey everybody. I am an 18 year old male from California. I have one > question only really. About 7 months ago, my dentist found a lesion on [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > to develop oral cancer, but I would like to kick smoking before I catch > that nasty disease. So anyhelp would be great. No way to tell. Your dentist is in a much better position to say. If there is any suspicion, he should have had it biopsied immediately. Otherwise he's just trying to scare you into stopping smoking. Oral cancer in 18 year olds is not unknown--but I've never seen it myself in 30 years. Steve  Signature{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Remove "nospam" to reply\par } The only problem is, i'm worried. Yet the lesion itself has not shown any signs of getting larger in the past 7 months, even though I did not quit smoking. It does not hurt, it just is very strange to look at. Also, I am getting my wisdom teeth in, and I could be biting it without knowing it. Do you think it is anything I need to be worried about yet? >The only problem is, i'm worried. Yet the lesion itself has not shown >any signs of getting larger in the past 7 months, even though I did not >quit smoking. It does not hurt, it just is very strange to look at. >Also, I am getting my wisdom teeth in, and I could be biting it without >knowing it. >Do you think it is anything I need to be worried about yet? I am guessing here, but I suspect you are talking about Stenson's Duct which everyone in the world has ..... and is completely normal. DISCLAIMER: This is not diagnosis. This is informational only. If you would be so kind as to snap a photo, then I will improve the possibility of what you have/do not have. Joel M. Eichen DDS ** A. Parotid Gland Located on side of face, anterior to mastoid tip and external auditory canal, inferior to zygomatic arch, and superior to the lower border of the angle of the mandible. Anteriorly, it overlaps the masseter muscle. Stenson's duct enters oral cavity through buccal mucosa opposite upper second molar. Parasympathetic secretory afferents to the parotid leave the inferior salivary nucleus with the glossopharyngeal nerve and travel via Jacobson's plexus in the middle ear to synapse in the otic ganglion. Post-synaptic fibers are distributed to the parotid by the auriculotemporal nerve. Facial nerve passes through this gland. B. Submandibular Gland Beneath floor of the mouth, inferior to mylohyoid muscles and superior to digastric muscle. Marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve travels in the fascia on the lateral surface of this gland. Parasympathetic secretory afferents to the submandibular gland arise from the superior salivatory nucleus, and leave the brainstem in the facial nerve. They exit the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion and travel via the chorda tympani to the lingual nerve. Fibers synapse in the submandibular ganglion, and post-synaptic fibers then enter the gland. The lingual and hypoglossal nerves lie deep to this gland. Wharton's duct enters the floor of the mouth near the lingual frenula. C. Sublingual Glands - located below the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth, adjacent to mandible and mylohyoid muscle. Ten to twelve small caliber ducts drain the gland, some emptying into the submandibular duct, and others draining directly into the floor of the mouth. D. Minor Salivary Glands - small collections of salivary gland tissues are scattered throughout the oral mucosa, and can also be seen in the pharynx, supraglottis, nose and sinuses. > The only problem is, i'm worried. Yet the lesion itself has not shown > any signs of getting larger in the past 7 months, even though I did not > quit smoking. It does not hurt, it just is very strange to look at. > Also, I am getting my wisdom teeth in, and I could be biting it without > knowing it. > Do you think it is anything I need to be worried about yet? It is quite possible that you have inflamed (by biting or otherwise) the parotid papilla (as Joel says), the opening of Stenson's duct. I personally think it's a bit scary to think that your dentist wouldn't recognize this though. This is something to get checked out, not to worry about. Dollars to donuts, this is no biggie--but I'm not giving you virtual absolution on this one. Any unexplained lesion present 7 months should be checked--period. And after you find out it's nothing, don't give up on quitting smoking!! Steve Signature{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Remove "nospam" to reply\par } Thanks guys. Well I know for a fact its not Stensons Duct, it is a lesion because there is only one of them, and my dentist told me it was a lesion. Here is a picture. [img]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b315/afingado269/DSCN0640.jpg[/img] or just click the link http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b315/afingado269/DSCN0640.jpg > Thanks guys. Well I know for a fact its not Stensons Duct, it is a > lesion because there is only one of them, and my dentist told me it [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b315/afingado269/DSCN0640.jpg Looks like a mucocoele--a small mucous retention cyst, probably caused by biting and damaging the duct of a minor salivary gland. The mucous secretions get trapped under the tissue and form a small bubble. If this has re-formed several times, it should be removed. But this is basically because of its annoyance factor, and certainly isn't urgent. Steve SignatureMark & Steven Bornfeld DDS http://www.dentaltwins.com Brooklyn, NY 718-258-5001 Wow. Thank you guys so much. You are really making me feel more confident about what I have in my mouth. One question though. This mucuous retention cyst, you say, is it cancerous? Would it turn into Leukoplakia? If I dont get it removed, would it turn into a bigger problem? > Wow. Thank you guys so much. You are really making me feel more > confident about what I have in my mouth. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Would it turn into Leukoplakia? > If I dont get it removed, would it turn into a bigger problem? No, no, and no. Steve Signature{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Remove "nospam" to reply\par } Thanks. Yes, my wisdom teeth are coming in and I seem to be having a harder time talking and eating without my teeth rubbing my gums. Well that explains it. I have just 2 more questions and then I will see my dentist, no need to ask my questions to a message board. Nevertheless, here they are. Does smoking effect it at all? How sure are you that mine is some type of cyst? >Thanks. Yes, my wisdom teeth are coming in and I seem to be having a >harder time talking and eating without my teeth rubbing my gums. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Does smoking effect it at all? >How sure are you that mine is some type of cyst? Smoking doesn't affect it and nobody can be absolutely positive what it is. If you have it removed they will send it to the lab to be checked. > Thanks. Yes, my wisdom teeth are coming in and I seem to be having a > harder time talking and eating without my teeth rubbing my gums. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Does smoking effect it at all? > How sure are you that mine is some type of cyst? Smoking can affect any oral tissue. Smoking also slows healing, so if the area is traumatized the smoking can at least theoretically retard healing. There is no way I can be sure it's a mucocoele. However, it has the typical appearance of one. Generally they will pop eventually, leaving a raw surface. They tend to recur if not removed. Yes, it may be biopsied if it is removed. I've had a couple inside my own lower lip, but they eventually have healed over by themselves. I still think it is a good idea to check it out. A photo is no substitute for direct examination. But the chance of this being anything ominous is IMO very, very small. Steve Signature{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Remove "nospam" to reply\par } >Wow. Thank you guys so much. You are really making me feel more >confident about what I have in my mouth. > >One question though. This mucuous retention cyst, you say, is it >cancerous? No >Would it turn into Leukoplakia? No >If I dont get it removed, would it turn into a bigger problem? A bigger cyst perhaps. -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com >Thanks guys. Well I know for a fact its not Stensons Duct, it is a >lesion because there is only one of them, and my dentist told me it [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b315/afingado269/DSCN0640.jpg I agree with you. REPLY to Steve Bronfeld ..... Not necessarily. My experience is that half the dentists are asleep during lectures that do not directly involve how to translate something into cash. Sad but true. NEXT TOPIC is my favorite. Biochemical aspects of molecular biology! PS~ Yes I have made these diagnoses, actually a number of times, and yes, some of the patients did not listen and are no longer with us. ** >> Hey everybody. I am an 18 year old male from California. I have one >> question only really. About 7 months ago, my dentist found a lesion on [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >Steve |
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