Lump on gumline - trying to be rational

[Munchlet]

Hi

As some of your may have read from my previous posts I'm trying to get my HA under control with healthy eating, vitamins and exercise and on the whole I am feeling a lot better.

I'm feeling a bit anxious today and I've started worrying about something which I've had a for a long time (Can't remember how long) and I'm cross with myself because I could have stopped this worrying if I'd just bothered to check with my dentist or hygienist both of whom I've seen in the last few weeks.

Basically on the inside of my mouth I have a hard bony lump underneath my teeth facing inwards towards my tongue. It's painless and when you push it you can see white underneath almost looking like bone but for some reason today I can't leave it alone.

It's never even bothered me before, it's just on the gumline a one tooth away from where I had to have a tooth extracted due to a bad absecess and I think in my mind I've always put it down to having a missing tooth there.

I've googled it and I think it's a Tori Mandibular, it certainly sounds like it and I've looked and pictures and it's in exactly the same place that they occur , but I think what's worrying me is my dentist has never mentioned it.

I had a dental exam yesterday and had a filling so dentist was spending a good deal of time prodding and poking around. I also had a thorough clean and polish by the hygienist a couple of weeks ago and they both said everything was good and looked fine, but you know what it's like because neither of them mentioned it I'm now thinking what if they didn't notice it.

It's fairly noticeable as it's an obvious lump on the gumline so I trying to think rationally that if it was anything concerning they would have to mention it and they are trained to look for these things, but my HA is saying, they probably haven't even noticed it and I'm shouldn't just take it for granted that it's fine.

Everything I've read about them says they are fairly common, completely harmless and tend to occur in people who are stressed and grind their teeth etc, it also says any nearby trauma is believed to contribute to causing them.

So obviously with HA I'm stressed most of the time, my husband has said I grind my teeth, the tooth next door but one had to be removed due to a bad abscess and the lump is located in the exact place where these Tori things are found, this is the rational side of my brain talking. The HA side says it's a cancer of the bone I've ignored for probably years and my dentist and hygienist just haven't noticed it, oh and it hasn't showed up on any x rays I've had done previously!

Anyone else got anything similar and would a dentist have noticed it do you think?

thanks

[Munchlet]

Ok now I'm worrying doesn't seem like anyone has any experience of this :(

[Darbysa]

Ok Munchlet, let's think about this rationally. You say you've had this for years. Bone cancer would not be confined to a small lump on your gum and certainly would have caused many more symptoms and illness by now. I know that you know this deep down inside! This is probably just a part of you that is no doubt connected to the tooth extraction. Everything you have read tells you that this is the explanation. The fact that your dentist hasn't mentioned it is because it is totally harmless and nothing to worry about so probably didn't think it worth mentioning.
I know it's hard when you get fixated on something like this. I have a recurring ulcer on the inside of my gum which sometimes isn't there for months and then it comes back every week. The rational part of me says that if it was anything sinister it would be there all the time but that doesn't stop me wondering about the C word when it does show up. I think this is normal thinking for those of us with anxiety.
Anyway, though obviously I'm not an expert I really am confident that you are fine and it's absolutely nothing to worry about.
Take care
Sal x

[AlexandriaUK]

Hi the reason its not mentioned by your Dentists is it would be a bit like mentioning the tooth extraction, its a natural formation of the gum after they take teeth out, hopefully you will not have to have many more removed but if you do you will find it makes the same irregular gum line.
They will mention anything that they feel is even remotely abnormal, and if it was anything sinister you would not be saying you have had it a year or more, mouth cancer I am sad to say is quite rapid.
Hope your mind is put at rest a little, if not ring your dentist on Monday and just ask the question, like doctors they are used to anxious people x

[Munchlet]

Thanks for the replies I keep going over the rational points and have decided I'm just going to leave it alone and keep an eye on it, if it doesn't change then I'll mention it when I go in six months, if it starts to grow then I'll make an appt to get it checked sooner.

I'm fairly sure it hasn't changed since I noticed it so hopefully it will just stay the same.

[Greenmonster]

I noticed I had this condition(torus mandibularis) some years ago, mine is in both sides of my mouth, but one side is bigger, I thought it was normal until ai saw someone without them. I clench my jaw all the time, so that must be why I have it. Don't worry it's harmless