Cut in my Gums

I have dipped for about six years now. I have never really had any problems in my mouth up until a week ago. I woke up with a big cut over the top part of my gum. It looks like skin is missing and there is a cut about the length of my tooth. I saw a dentist today and he referred me to a specialist. He told me he doesn't know what it is but can be either cancer or i brushed to hard or got food stuck in my gum and it got infected. He told me not to worry to much about it but then again he told me he didn't know what it was. I looked all over the web and none of the oral cancer pictures look like what i have. Also i dipped on my lower lip never on the top. I have no cavities and nothing wrong with my mouth. Can you tell me if you have any idea of what this could be? i know its hard to say without seeing it. ill try and describe a little bit better. Its somewhat sensitive to hot water, sensitive to salt water, very sensitive to mouth wash, doesn't bleed, i have had it for a week and not seeing a change, doesn't really hurt, and looks more like a cut then a bump. Please Give me some Ideas seeing how i have to wait a week and a half to see the specialist. Thank you

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

First off, you should definitely stop the dip.  Obviously the use of dip increases your risk for oral cancer just like smoking does.  Generally oral cancer from dip is on the lower lip due to the placement of the dip in that area but it doesn't rule out cancer until the specialist has biopsied it.  Generally cancer with dip would have more of a white appearance than a red one.  

Can you describe it in more detail?  Is it round or elongated?  Is it flat or does it bump out?  What color is it?  Is it a mix of colors like red, purple, white, etc?  About how large is it?

I don't have a guess to what it is exactly at this point.  Maybe with a little more detail, I can make a guess but the specialist will definitely be able to answer more of your questions.

[Mr_White_2003]

thank you for your fast response first of all.

It looks more roundish, it is flat like the gum was cut, the color basically blends in with the color of my gums (not purple at all, more pinkish and white, it is about the size of my tooth, it looks like it expands to the top where my lip would connect, it is pretty sore when i open my mouth and it stretches. there are no white bumps or any kind of bumps around. as i said the doctor told me not to worry to much about it but to get it checked out. i have had it for about 9 days now and don't really see a change. no images on the web look like it. the doc said it could be from eating something and it getting caught in my gums and infecting the area. he took an xray of the area and said it has nothing to do with the teeth, my teeth are fine. i hope that helps a little. thanks again i appreciate your help

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

By your description, I was thinking it might be an aphthous ulcer (i.e. canker sore) but they tend to last about a week.  There are some MAJOR aphthous ulcers which can last up to about a month and they tend to be larger than your normal canker sores.  

Try looking up a picture and seeing if it looks similar.  If not, let me know and I'll give you another guess over the internet.  Sorry its sort of unprofessional but its a little difficult to do over the internet.

Here's a website with a few pictures.

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000701/149.html

[Mr_White_2003]

good morning,

The pictures you on the site don't really match up to what my cut looks like. It is actually dug into my gum. It basically looks like i cut a little chunk of skin and meat off my gum. I think it is looking better today, and today it is really sore. I don't know if its just from lifting my lip up a lot but its the first time since the first two days it has been sore. Thank you again and i appreciate your help. Like i said i cant see the specialist till monday so your information is helping me ease my mind. thank you

[Mr_White_2003]

I just brushed my teeth and looked at the cut again and it has white skin above the cut on my lip,, this might be from the medicine i put on and ripped off my lip or from brushing in that area. i don't know. it just scared me a little bit more than what i am. every picture online of oral cancer doesn't match up and i haven't been able to find one picture of a cut on the gums that looks like mine. what are the chances of someone my age (23) of getting oral cancer? im freakin out here now so please can you help me out? thank you again

[Mr_White_2003]

oh and it looks like an oval with a line in the middle of it, the upper lip just has white skin on it which came off when i rubbed it with my finger. i was told not to put any medicine on it and try and let it heal by itself... i know this sounds pretty dumb but i washed my mouth out with rubbing alcohol to which after i did was told it was a mistake. ive been using none alcoholic mouth wash, slightly brushing over the cut, and just toothpaste, i was using peroxide but stopped. what should i do to see if this will heal or make it speed up to see if it is cancer. i think i am making myself sick over thinking about it. i can hardly eat right now. thank you again for your time and patience.  

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

I wouldn't place anything in that area.  If it is indeed trauma, your treatment of the area may actually aggravate the site and cause it to stop or reverse the healing and make it worse.  

Has the area changed at all in the last few days?  Or has it stayed consistently the same?  

Sometimes its hard to judge things based upon the symptoms and visual examination.  The specialist will definitely run the proper tests and perhaps a biopsy to diagnose the problem.