Tongue cancer diagnosis (teeth, pain, dentist, side)

[villageidiot1]

I was recently diagnosed with tongue cancer and had surgery. I thought my experience might be beneficial to others.

In April I had a routine dental appointment for teeth cleaning. I'm a 64 year old male with no dental issues but I get my teeth cleaned twice a year. The dentist always does a check of my teeth and mouth after the teeth cleaning. This time he noticed a white spot on the back side of my tongue. I was not aware of it and had no signs that it was there. It was back far enough that I never saw it. He referred me to an oral surgeon.

When I saw an oral surgeon, he said it was leukoplakia and it could be an irritation from a sharp tooth. He wanted my dentist to grind the sharp area and return in 2 weeks. When I returned, the leukoplakia was still there, so they decided to do a biopsy. Two weeks later I found out the biopsy was positive for carcinoma in situ. I was immediately sent to an Otolaryngology department at a major university medical center where I had a partial glossectomy 8 days later. They removed part of my tongue. I spent two nights in the hospital after the surgery.

The major reasons for tongue cancer are tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption, neither of which apply to me. I have never used any form of tobacco. The lesson I wanted to communicate is I would not have known about this if my dentist did not routinely do a thorough mouth exam. He did not find this at previous dental exam, which was 6 months earlier. Chances are, if my dentist had not found this, it would have progressed until I noticed some pain on my tongue and it might have spread by that point. This is a rapidly growing form of cancer.

I'm now in recovery and will start speech therapy shortly to try to get my speech back to as normal as possible.

[Parnassia]

Thank you for sharing. Glad to hear you are recovering!

Another cautionary tale for those who refuse to get a dental exam occasionally because they don't happen to have a toothache.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

Thank you for sharing. Glad to hear you are recovering!

Another cautionary tale for those who refuse to get a dental exam occasionally because they don't happen to have a toothache.

Yes, I highly recommend that you switch dentists if your dentist does not do a thorough mouth exam that includes looking at the back and sides of your tongue. I never had a dentist do this kind of exam before I went to my current dentist.

[Teacher Terry]

So glad it was caught early.

[marcandme]

OP....Thanks for sharing your story. You may have saved some one`s life. Your tongue, is not normally, something you pay attention too.

[jaminhealth]

Originally Posted by villageidiot1

Yes, I highly recommend that you switch dentists if your dentist does not do a thorough mouth exam that includes looking at the back and sides of your tongue. I never had a dentist do this kind of exam before I went to my current dentist.

umm, I saw dentists for about 60 yrs of my life and no tongue checks that I know of. Glad yours was on the ball.

[charmed hour]

Originally Posted by jaminhealth

umm, I saw dentists for about 60 yrs of my life and no tongue checks that I know of. Glad yours was on the ball.

You may not have been aware of it, but they may have (and should have) been checking your tongue. My dentist narrates while performing any procedure. He'll say, "Checking your tongue now--- looks good." If he didn't state it, I'd have never known.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by charmed hour

You may not have been aware of it, but they may have (and should have) been checking your tongue. My dentist narrates while performing any procedure. He'll say, "Checking your tongue now--- looks good." If he didn't state it, I'd have never known.

I definitely knew when my dentist was checking my tongue. He stretched it side to side and upwards. It was somewhat uncomfortable to have your tongue yanked around.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by villageidiot1

I definitely knew when my dentist was checking my tongue. He stretched it side to side and upwards. It was somewhat uncomfortable to have your tongue yanked around.

The dentist I currently see does cancer checks that way after my teeth are cleaned. He also looks under the tongue, along the sides, and on the roof of my mouth. Seems pretty thorough to me.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by villageidiot1

I was recently diagnosed with tongue cancer and had surgery. I thought my experience might be beneficial to others.

In April I had a routine dental appointment for teeth cleaning. I'm a 64 year old male with no dental issues but I get my teeth cleaned twice a year. The dentist always does a check of my teeth and mouth after the teeth cleaning. This time he noticed a white spot on the back side of my tongue. I was not aware of it and had no signs that it was there. It was back far enough that I never saw it. He referred me to an oral surgeon.

When I saw an oral surgeon, he said it was leukoplakia and it could be an irritation from a sharp tooth. He wanted my dentist to grind the sharp area and return in 2 weeks. When I returned, the leukoplakia was still there, so they decided to do a biopsy. Two weeks later I found out the biopsy was positive for carcinoma in situ. I was immediately sent to an Otolaryngology department at a major university medical center where I had a partial glossectomy 8 days later. They removed part of my tongue. I spent two nights in the hospital after the surgery.

The major reasons for tongue cancer are tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption, neither of which apply to me. I have never used any form of tobacco. The lesson I wanted to communicate is I would not have known about this if my dentist did not routinely do a thorough mouth exam. He did not find this at previous dental exam, which was 6 months earlier. Chances are, if my dentist had not found this, it would have progressed until I noticed some pain on my tongue and it might have spread by that point. This is a rapidly growing form of cancer.

I'm now in recovery and will start speech therapy shortly to try to get my speech back to as normal as possible.

Wow, glad they caught it when they did, and hopefully took care of the cancer for good.