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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Burning Lips and gums, plus 4 small spots in mouth
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
Burning Lips and gums, plus 4 small spots in mouth
by jte777, Sep 14, 2006 12:00AM
I have an appointment next week with my dentist of 2 years, but hope you can give me some reassuring info so I can keep my stress in check.
Am 52 year old gay man. No sexual contacts in over a year. A year ago I had a burning sensation just behind my upper front teeth where those little boney ridges are and also on the OUTER portion of my upper lip. These burning sensations would come and go during the day. At first I thought I had injured them or burned my mouth on pizza or something. However, after a couple of weeks it continued. When there was a flare-up smoking seemed to make it feel worse, yet when there was no flare-up smoking did not seem to start it.I went to my dentist and he saw nothing and it just stopped one day.
Now a year later, all of a sudden the same symptoms have returned for 3 weeks. Some days no burning at all and I think that it has passed and then the next day will start up and last for several hours. Usually by the evening things feel normal. This is a burning sensation but not painful like a sore. If I touch the area it does not hurt like sores normally do. My mouth does not seem dry at all and there are no strange tastes. Lips/gums appear to be normal. I cannot see the upper gums behind my front teeth but they feel normal to the touch.
Over the past couple of days the juncture of the lips on the right side also aches abit. I do sometimes bite my cheeks when under stress, like when the burning worries me, and usually push in my cheek with my finger when cheek biting. I have tried to curb this with pretty good success, yet the lower lip does feel sore. None of these symptoms seem to appear at the same time. If my gums burn, then the lips do not. If my lip burns, then the gums seem to remain pain free.
In the past my dentist recommended using Orabase(Colgate) to deaden the gum pain, with some temporary success. I also tried chapstick balm, antibiotic ointment, a mouthwash with peroxide, switching toothpastes. The only topical thing that works sometimes is miconazle cream on the outer lips, but think that it may just be the cream and not the medication that does it. The other things either do nothing, or even seem to increase the burning. The funny thing is that if I take a Tranxene 15 mg(clorazepate) for anxiety, the burning drops off rapidly and remains that way the rest of the evening. Have read that stress can be involved in burning mouth but may be a result of it, not a cause.
Today the juncture of my lips on only the right was burning. I looked inside and did see four closely grouped yellowish/whitish spots about a centimeter INSIDE the mouth and about 1/2 centimeter apart. They look similar to the fordyce glands on my outer lips.
Does this sound like something serious?
Have you seen this before?
I did not notice the 4 spots before could they be cancer or can fordyce spots form here? Caused by biting? I do not remember seeing them ever before & I used check mouth 10 times a day! Have not done that in a long tim
Am 52 year old gay man. No sexual contacts in over a year. A year ago I had a burning sensation just behind my upper front teeth where those little boney ridges are and also on the OUTER portion of my upper lip. These burning sensations would come and go during the day. At first I thought I had injured them or burned my mouth on pizza or something. However, after a couple of weeks it continued. When there was a flare-up smoking seemed to make it feel worse, yet when there was no flare-up smoking did not seem to start it.I went to my dentist and he saw nothing and it just stopped one day.
Now a year later, all of a sudden the same symptoms have returned for 3 weeks. Some days no burning at all and I think that it has passed and then the next day will start up and last for several hours. Usually by the evening things feel normal. This is a burning sensation but not painful like a sore. If I touch the area it does not hurt like sores normally do. My mouth does not seem dry at all and there are no strange tastes. Lips/gums appear to be normal. I cannot see the upper gums behind my front teeth but they feel normal to the touch.
Over the past couple of days the juncture of the lips on the right side also aches abit. I do sometimes bite my cheeks when under stress, like when the burning worries me, and usually push in my cheek with my finger when cheek biting. I have tried to curb this with pretty good success, yet the lower lip does feel sore. None of these symptoms seem to appear at the same time. If my gums burn, then the lips do not. If my lip burns, then the gums seem to remain pain free.
In the past my dentist recommended using Orabase(Colgate) to deaden the gum pain, with some temporary success. I also tried chapstick balm, antibiotic ointment, a mouthwash with peroxide, switching toothpastes. The only topical thing that works sometimes is miconazle cream on the outer lips, but think that it may just be the cream and not the medication that does it. The other things either do nothing, or even seem to increase the burning. The funny thing is that if I take a Tranxene 15 mg(clorazepate) for anxiety, the burning drops off rapidly and remains that way the rest of the evening. Have read that stress can be involved in burning mouth but may be a result of it, not a cause.
Today the juncture of my lips on only the right was burning. I looked inside and did see four closely grouped yellowish/whitish spots about a centimeter INSIDE the mouth and about 1/2 centimeter apart. They look similar to the fordyce glands on my outer lips.
Does this sound like something serious?
Have you seen this before?
I did not notice the 4 spots before could they be cancer or can fordyce spots form here? Caused by biting? I do not remember seeing them ever before & I used check mouth 10 times a day! Have not done that in a long tim
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Sep 14, 2006 12:00AM
, Sep 14, 2006 12:00AM
Sorry, but I'm drawing a blank. Anxiety about a certain part of the body can certainly induce burning and pain sensations in the area, so that may be part of it, or even all of it. I can't think of any connection with the 4 spots you just noticed, though a visit to a doctor or dentist in person will obviously be necessary to establish that for sure.
I can't think of any serious diseases that present this way, though.
Good luck.
Dr. Rockoff
I can't think of any serious diseases that present this way, though.
Good luck.
Dr. Rockoff
Thank you in advance for all of the reassuring information you give people here. Wish I had a doctor like you down here. We need more compassionate medical people like you nowdays!