freaking about oral cancer

[cricket0148]

Before I get started, I haven't been ANYWHERE... doctor or dentist.

I found a sore in my mouth on my inner cheek, which im convincing myself is a from a broken tooth on the top of my mouth that rubbed into my cheek somehow. its very small and of course im in the bathroom brushing my cheek with the toothbrush to try to pop it, if it was a blister and caused nothing but irritation.

i am 37 and havent been to the dentist since i was like 16 due to dental fear and trauma as a child there. i have bad oral hygiene and that led me to knowing i need dentures. i have 9 teeth remaining in my mouth, most are broken with jagged edges or impacted in the gums. i want to get dentures but am absolutely terrified beyond words that i will get in that chair and they find cancer. Am i out of my mind?

[Brunette]

You pretty much answered yor own question. If you have neglected your dental health and have broken, jagged and missing teeth it is much more likely to be an infection than anything else.

I'm sorry your fear has led to this situation - nobody in this day and age should be missing most of their teeth at 37 - but it's best you try and face your fear and get treatment. There are lots of orthodontists that specialise in treatments for nervous patients, I'm sure you will be able to find one in your area.

[cricket0148]

No you are right. at 37 most people have their teeth growing up, i didnt have health insurance and at this point in my life not financially stable either. i have 2 little girls to take care of whose needs and priorities come well above my own. I hate that my teeth are in this state but what option did i have. none

[pepsi]

Hello ...i feel i need to respond to this post . I had an extraction 2 years ago id not been to the dentist for 15 years due to phobia my teeth never hurt so i did nothing . I had a tooth break i ignored it for a year until it got an absess then i ended up paying over £500 because obviously they extracted the tooth but saw so many other things wrong. They did the fillings and then i got this usler in my mouth on my cheek like you. I googles mouth cancer pictures matched what i had ..looked like a growth i went to my gp as i kept catching it with my teeth. Sent straight to oral cancer place at hospital after an agnonising wait. Anyway it WASNT cancer it was cheek biting my wisdom teeth and shifting of teeth due to extraction. Go to the dentist leaving it will not sort it out it will just go on and on. So sad you lost all but a few of your teeth. My friend had her remaining ones extracted and had dentures she now never needs to go to the dentist and worry about it. I was terrified of going to the dentist it was horrible i was in a terrible state. If it is cancer isnt it best to get it looked at and removed but you have jagged teeth so its likely just a rubbing. I have 2 girls isnt it best to set an example on the importance of dentists ....good luck ive been there .

[Fishmanpa]

As others are saying, it won't be cancer but it will be periodontal issues. You need to deal with this! It's not good for you and will (I'm surprised it hasn't yet) cause serious issues down the line.

Dentists are a lot more advanced than they were 30+ years ago. My dentist does x-rays digitally! They're instantly available on the computer. I had a few extractions in the last 2 years and it was totally painless. Make the appointment and get this taken care of ;)

Positive thoughts

[unsure_about_this]

Some good comments here from Fishmanpa, Pepsi and Brunette.

Please go to the dentist, my Dad parents never took him and his brothers to the dentist, he ended up with false teeth at 40, he had a fear of dentist as well until his face swelled up.

My current dentist, the practice has changed a lot so if i need a filling is does not hurt as much.

[cricket0148]

Ok, so thought i had myself semi-calm, if that is freaking possible. took a drink of ice water and felt another little bump. went running with the flashlight to look and its a tiny bump with a clear center, which Dr. google shows me looks like a mucocele and the red dot is back on my hard palate. but i also have a sore throat today and feel a head cold coming on. please tell me this is all related and im not dying.

[pepsi]

If youre affraid of the dentist ask your doctor ...im sure its just ulsers ...or like me cheek biting. Mine is now scar tissue and when im anxious it flares up. Im so glad i got my fillings done or im sure my other teeth would have gone the same way as that first one. Fear is a terrible thing it stops us from doing whats right....IF they are unsure they will do a biopsy so they wont tell you there and then anyway....its best to know ...it takes courage but if you fear cancer like i did ...then go and ask chances are its nothing like me and lots of others on here. I was doing the flash torch thing in the mirror till i gave myself nuralgia it was sh*t :) ....be brave dont let fear stop you because when its nothing you can chill out and relax