Terrified... pain & swelling on lip... oral cancer fears

[bulan]

I'm feeling panicked for the first time in a long time. I woke up this morning and felt swelling on a part of my lip that I've had trouble with for a few years.

In 2011 I developed a bad habit of biting that part of my lips during the winter, as the skin was dry and chapped. This habit continued over the next winter. During the winter of 2013 I tried hard to stop biting, and was mostly successful, but by this point I was getting calluses on that spot. Even this year, all year, the calluses have come up, gotten flaky, and fallen off. I've also had aching pain in that area, inside the lip. And now the swelling. It's hard to see, but I can feel it, and it feels different in that area too, the same feeling you get with a cold sore.

I told my dermatologist and dentist about the biting habit, the calluses, and the aching pain in that area, but neither thought anything of it. This morning I happen to have a routine cleaning scheduled with my dentist, so I'll mention this to her. I'm terrified it's cancer.

Does anyone know of a case where lip biting became a health problem, like cancer? Should I ask my dentist to take a biopsy? How should I handle this? Any and all advice and reassurance is appreciated!!

---------- Post added at 07:06 ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 ----------

I don't bite it any more, except when those calluses begin to flake... It's hard not to bite it instinctively, and I try to bite only the dead skin that's already detached. But when that callous is removed, it leaves a tender spot exposed which sometimes aches...

I just asked my brother to look at it, and he asked if I had a cold sore, b/c he saw a small amount of swelling. And when I looked at it again, it seemed to be slightly darker under the dry skin. ...I'm quite afraid. :(

I'd love to know, does anybody bite their lip? Has it ever led to calluses, swelling, or other problems?

[Annie0904]

If you constantly bite your lip then yes it will result in sores, swelling but not cancer. I don't really see the purpose of the poll unless you are trying to scare yourself more.

[bulan]

Unfortunately, I've been told by a dental hygienist and a dermatologist that repeated biting *can* lead to cancer. Here's some info explaining the possibility of a link between biting and oral cancer:
http://www.oralcancerfacts.com.au/other-oral-diseases.html

For that reason I've been warned on numerous occasions to stop biting my cheeks. I've almost successfully stopped that habit. (You could say my cheek-biting days have bit the dust... that was a bad pun, I know. :p )

As for the poll, it's actually the opposite: It's there for reassurance. I realize it's unscientific, but it's no different than asking people for advice or reassurance here in the forums. The more people who say they *don't* have this problem, the more reassuring it can be. :)

[anthrokid]

From what I can see, the oralcancerfacts website doesn't state any link between lip biting and oral cancer :) It also doesn't look like a very reputable website for gaining clinical information, I would only obtain that kind of information from medical journals or doctors. Anyway, from what I read, the website says that lip biting can lead to ulcers, but those ulcers don't magically turn into cancer. Most ulcers are just open sores in the mouth. Some ulcers can be related to oral cancer, but this is rare, and these kind of ulcers don't clear up.

[bulan]

Thank you, Anthrokid... I've read conflicting reports by dentists and doctors online... several say there's no chance lip biting could lead to cancer, while others say it's possible. I dont know who to believe...

I've told my dentist and my dermatologist about my chronic lip biting and the callus that appears in the same spot over and over... But at the time of my appointments the callus wasn't visible, so they didn't think much of it. Their inaction frustrates and scares me. I see the dentist next week and the dermatologist a couple weeks from now. I hope one of them is able to biopsy this spot for me.

---------- Post added at 00:16 ---------- Previous post was at 00:15 ----------

Is anyone else here a chronic lip biter?

[bulan]

Some sources say lip biting can lead to cancer, and others say it can't.

For instance, the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine says, "there is no evidence that lip biting increases the risk of lip cancer."
(http://www.simplestepsdental.com/SS/ihtSS/r.==/st.32219/t.29838/pr.3.html)

Another doctor seems to be undecided and says, “Any chronic mouth lesion could develop cancer over the long term, but the research and final word are spotty.” (http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcrwv/cheek-and-lip-biting)

And the British Columbia Dental Hygienist Association says lip biting increases one's risk of oral cancer. (http://www.bcdha.com/?page_id=284)

My lips have always gotten dry during winter, but in the winter of 2011 I bit my lips quite badly, and again in 2012. I quit biting by 2013, but by then a recurring callous had formed, which is also painful sometimes. I am seeing my dentist and dermatologist soon, but I'm quite afraid. Does anyone know of any cases of cancer from lip biting?

[bulan]

It's been a while since my last post here. Does anyone have any new info/experience with lip biting, and whether it has led to cancer?