Tele Oral Medicine

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Refer a Patient

Oral Lumps

Oral Lumps can be caused by trauma such as biting the lip or side of the tongue, cystic with fluid causing the lump, or can represent a tumour or cancer. Oral lumps or bumps in the mouth are common and the successful treatment depends on a timely diagnosis.

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Typically oral lumps are not very painful however, some lumps can cause pain.
  • Oral Lumps can present as raised fleshy tissue areas of trauma or friction or as cancerous large hard lumps on the side of the tongue.
  • Lumps can be fluid-filled and feel soft to touch.
  • Some lumps maybe white however, many oral lumps are the same colour as the oral tissue and can be easily ignored until their size increases.

Causes:

  • An unnoticed trauma in the mouth soft tissues due to the cuts or bites.  
  • Fluid present behind the skin of the mouth.
  • Inflammation
  • Bleeding
  • Saliva deposition.
  • Abnormal cell growth.  

Diagnosis:

Early identification is essential for effective treatment of oral lumps and bumps resulting in the least invasive treatment. 

Oral lumps can be evaluated as part of a full head and neck examination.

Oral lumps and bumps may require biopsy. Biopsy can be incisional (to collect a sample) or excisional (to remove the entire mass). Additional examinations and specific scans may be required to assess the lumps, especially if they are deep under the surface and cannot be seen.  

Treatment:

Common treatments include:

  • A small lump in the early stage can often be removed in a single treatment to diagnose the condition while also dealing with the lump permanently.
  • Large lumps may require sample testing to identify their nature before developing a treatment plan.
  • Local excision or resection is required for cancerous lumps and radiation therapy may be required.

When to see a doctor?

If your oral lump or bump persists after two weeks, a doctor or dentist should be consulted without any delay. If previous warnings about the risk of cancer due to the excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol have been given, a doctor or dentist should be consulted immediately. 

 

To consult an Oral Medicine Specialist regarding your oral lump or bump, ask your doctor or dentist to refer you to TeleOralMedicine.  

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