Symptoms for 4 months... mouth cancer?

[Anxiety Jim]

Hi,

About 3 or 4 months ago I posted about a rough patch on the inside of my cheek, well it's still there, and covers almost my entire cheek!

It's red and very rough to the touch. I saw my GP last week and she said that it looks red, and prescribed me some mouth wash, it hasn't had any effect, and now for the past 5-6 days my my jaw has become very tight where the 'joint' in the jaw between the top and bottom is.

I'm now terrified the GP hasn't taken me seriously, and I've got advanced cancer because I left it for 4 months without doing anything about it!

Very scared at the moment and haven't been sleeping.

[amandaj]

hi best person to look in your mouth is a dentist why not make an appointment just for reassurance if nothing else, im sure it is nothing but sometimes when we have ha we need to be told this more than once take care
amandax

[Anxiety Jim]

The problem is I can't afford to see a dentist, so I'm terrified the GP isn't a specialist in the field. :-\

[nomorepanic]

You can still see dentists on the NHS so it will cost about £15 I think

[Anxiety Jim]

Yeah, but I have literally no money at the moment, that's why I went to see my GP in the first place :-(

[j2]

i am sorry to hear about your situation. I can tell you that mouth cancer is almost always a black, painless lump or at least a lump of some kind. What you are describing is more of an irritated area. I am not a doctor but I fear oral cancer as a smoker so I have asked about what the dentist looks for and he told me about lumps. Keep using the mouthwash and go back to the GP if there is no improvement. If nothing else, make him spend some time with you to get a better idea of what he (or a specialist) would be looking for in oral cancer. Good luck and remember we are here for you.

[happycarrot]

Do you have TMJ? That sounds like what might be wrong with your jaw. The muscles around the joint can swell up and make your jaw very tight and sore especially when you are stressed. You might clench your jaw or grind your teeth without realizing it. It sounds like the jaw problem isn't related to the spot in your mouth.

[amandaj]

if you cant see a dentisit go back and get a 2nd opinion off another dr, i used to do this for my own reassurance, drs def can tell what is and what isnt cancer anywhere on your body im sure the next dr will tell you the same just sometimes we like to hear it off more than 1 person good luck
amanda