Hi doctor...
My job has been very stressful and over the last three years and has caused me much unwanted stress. During this time I have been biting the insides of my cheeks (knowingly and unknowingly). Days will go where I stop, then once they start to heal and scar tissue appears, I start to chew again. It seems to be a never ending cycle. I also get the occasional canker sore at the bottom inside lip from chewing, but that usually happens 2x a year. I tend to look in the mirror to see what damage has been done and noticed certain areas looks similar to oral lichen planus, but not as "severe" as internet pictures show. Is it leukoplakia? On the days I stop biting, I see a bit of skin that reappears which again looks like scar tissue healing? Sometimes I also notice a white line across my mouth where the teeth meet. Is it possible I am biting while sleeping? I go to the dentist once every 6 months and he hasn't noticed anything unusual. I also see my MD for blood work every year and everything is perfect. In addition, I also get a pin like dot on the side of my tongue usually once every 2 months or when I eat sharp foods or when I am menstruating -I am assuming this is a canker sore as well. (It hurts even more so because my tooth rubs against it) Should I be concerned? Ive also been using a new mouth wash without alcohol and now the insides of my cheeks seem very smooth with little abrasion at all. Should I be worried or am I just being overly paranoid by reading symptoms of various diseases on the internet? Thanks for your time. Thanks!