White patch on side of tongue

[Catmumj]

Just over 3 weeks ago tongue started to feel a bit sore, almost like I had burnt it. I woke up with several ulcers on tongue and I noticed a white patch on side of tongue which I assumed was from a ulcers. The ulcers have all cleared but white patch is still there. I also feel like I need to clear my throat a little throughout the day. I have bad health anxiety and have convinced myself its tongue cancer. I have to wait until the weekend is over to try and get a gp appointment. I will include photo to see if anyone has had the same sort of thing

Go see your dentist. Not gp. The dentist has more specialised knowledge.
this could be anything and without a proper exam/possible biopsy it’s difficult to tell?
it also depends to an extent on your age, and if you are a heavy drinker or smoker.
lesions that last longer than a week generally need monitored.
it’s very unlikely to be tongue cancer. Probably keratosis or maybe even thrush.

like I said hard to tell from one photo without a fuller history

Thanks for the reply @scotlandsI did think about the dentist first but im not sure if I am still registered as haven't been for quite a while so might need register again before getting an appointment. I dont smoke or drink alcohol at all. I used to smoke but haven't in 6 years. I kind ignored the patch as I just assumed it was from an ulcer but have made myself sick with worry now after googling.

I tell as many people as I can to not use Google when they have a symptom, or niggle. You'll go right down that rabbit hole.
It could be any number of things but definitely book in with your dentist for them to check it.
Time to be brave and get it looked at.
I've not long finished treatment for stage 3 breast cancer, which has gone now, thankfully, but I put it off for so long out of fear.
I've had something similar on my tongue for weeks in the past and it was down to a weakened immune system.
Sorry if this is rambling, between chemo and medically induced menopause, I've won the brain fog lottery 😅
Sending you best wishes and good luck.

Thats @Mercurial1 I will definitely try and get either a dentist or a gp appointment as soon as I can as I know it needs to be checked out. I just hope it isnt something too serious. Wishing you all the best in your health also

I had a patch very, very like that a month or so ago. A bit nearer the tip but on the side of the tongue.

I'm very prone to mouth ulcers and sometimes get a sore tongue when I'm stressed or under the weather or sleep deprived. But this was something entirely different and like you I was extremely worried.

I ended up dabbing it with tcp and it went away after a few days. I intended mentioning it when I went to my hygienist appointment some weeks after but because of other issues - I was in the process of leaving that dental practice - I totally forgot.

My tongue is back to normal now but I echo pp in that you should see your dentist about it. I regret not doing so although as far as I can tell I've no ill effects and it cleared up. But I'll mention it to my new dentist at the beginning of next month.

@Operationtimecomingup Do you remember how long you had it before using the tcp?

I started using the tcp almost straight away.

Chlorhexidine mouthwash is a good antiseptic if it's a bit of an infection. You can buy it pretty much anywhere and the unbranded version is exactly the same.

Doesn't look like it yet but could develop into Leukoplakia which can be indicative of cancer.
See a doctor or dentist as soon as you can.
Best wishes Mx

Hi OP, your dentist or GP needs to do a 2ww referral for that if it’s been there over 3 weeks. Try some chlorhexidine over the weekend but if it’s not healing, you need that biopsied sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the replies. I will make sure i get straight onto the dentist or gp at the start of next week. I have some corsodyl mouthwash i will use this weekend. I just feel so anxious now that it is something sinister

My friend had similar, dentist removed it . It was biopsied but was harmless .

Thats good to hear @Dublassie thanks

It does look like leukoplakia in that it is a white patch in the mouth. Leukoplakia does not necessarily indicate cancer though

Totally go and have it checked immediately for your own peace of mind. See your dentist ASAP to set your mind at ease. Life is too short to keep wondering about this stuff and losing sleep. No matter what it is, you don't want to go any longer than necessary with discomfort. Hugs!!

You could show a pharmacist in the meantime to see if they think it could be thrush snd give you something for it.

This is not thrush , which is massively over diagnosed by those who are not dentists.

A doctor has a few hours training in oral medicine , a pharmacist even less , a dentist has years of training and continued training , every year , in oral medicine.

There are around 200 different conditions that can be diagnosed from your tongue.

Make an appointment to see a dentist , even if you have to pay privately. They are experts in oral medicine and will diagnose and treat ,or refer , as necessary.

Any lesion in the mouth that has been there more than two weeks needs looking at by a dentist .

Not necessarily as there can be many diagnoses as to what this is.

See a dentist , as they are oral medicine specialists and will diagnose, treat or refer as appropriate.

I did say in the meantime, I wasn''t
suggesting not seeing the dentist. I have no expertise in identifying it but if I was worried and unable to get a dental appointment or a gp appointment for a few days I would consider a pharmacist.

Clearly you have more medical training than me so are able to identify that it definitely isn't thrush or ulcer related from that photo.

I have had similar and it turned out to be a benign condition called lichen planus. My dentist referred me to Oral Medicine at the hospital for a biopsy.

Definitely see your dentist. Most likely it's not cancer but needs to be checked.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the replies. I will definitely have to get onto the dentist and hopefully wont take too long to get an appointment

@helpmum2003 hopefully mine turns out to be something similar then

I also have this from time to time and have had it examined by dentist and oral consultant and also biopsies and it is lichen planus. Can be improved by avoiding triggers in flare ups and steroid mouthwash if it gets really bad.

@TankFlyBoss thanks that is reassuring. I have a dentist appointment on Wednesday morning but I feel so anxious that its going to be cancer. Would you say yours looked quite similar?

It could also be frictional keratosis or traumatic keratosis. The first is caused by rubbing on rough or sharp teeth, the second caused by biting or chewing on the tongue (it can be completely subconscious and even when you’re asleep).
Both of them are a harmless build up of cells to protect the underlying tissues.
I had this plus a non-healing ulcer on the side of my tongue. I ended up having a tongue biopsy and nothing showed up. The ulcer healed which is apparently quite common after a biopsy.