Lesions/Striations on Oral Tissue

[Kaptiv8ed]

I am a 25 yr. old female with healthy teeth/gums normally.  I had my 3rd molars removed in 2004. The past yr or so, it seems that the gum tissue on the sites where my 3rd molars were has been sore. Almost like what a sore throat feels like.  Now, underneath my tongue on the left side got very sore. I saw an oral surgeon and I could tell he was clueless and he supposed that it was a "salivary stone".  Well, it went away and about 4 days later I get a "bump" inside my lower lip on the RIGHT side. It seems to have swollen and feels like a knot and is painful and stings when I eat.  It feels like the whole right side of my inner bottom lip has little knots/nodules and it hurts. Also, I've had red striations of soreness under my tongue and today on the inside of my lower lip.  I don't understand what it is and I'm not even a smoker or a drinker.  It's not a blister, or doesn't feel like one.  Today the right side underneath my tongue was hurting (the salivary gland) and the last two days my right lymph node under my jaw has been swollen and painful. Can anyone shed some light?

[drcm]

Look up lichen planus which is completely benign but needs checking.  See if this matches your symptoms!

[stateofconfusion]

I am a huge advocate of teaching institutions (like dental schools) - not only because I am a dental student, but because I feel it's a great place to find out answers that you don't think you can normally find elsewhere for fractions of the cost.  Most dental schools have 'oral screening clinics' and have dentists who are specialized in oral pathology.   Lots of peopel assume that we are 'just students' and 'dont' know what we are talking about', but that's why it's such a good place to go because if a 'different' case shows up it's our duty to find out what is wrong so we can tell our teachers so they can confirm or deny.  They wont' allow us to just give some bogus answer just to get a grade.  SO...may I suggest that if you have access to a local dental school, give them a call to see if they have actual dentists who are specialists in oral pathology....if they do, go there.  I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.

Good Luck