Dentist Said It's an Oral Wart

Hi there. I went to the dentist the other day because I have this flat, raised, abscess looking bum on my bottom front gum line. It does not hurt, but I have noticed it has been there for a couple of months. The dentist took one look, said it was a wart, and told me that he wanted to remove it asap. He explained that I could of gotten it from something simple as kissing an infected person, to oral sex. I haven't been sexual active for months at this point and I guess it was all for the better considering the circumstances. My concern is that with the removal (he said he saw two) that the cost is near $600. I don't have dental insurance and work a very low paying job. Even though I know the removal is what he recommended he gave me no clue as what NOT to do while I have a wart. Besides the obvious (like sex and kissing) I do not want to infect anyone else. Also, with a wart in my mouth what exactly do I have? I have looked for oral warts online and I get a plethora of stories. I am going to sexual health clinic tomorrow figure out if there is anything else wrong with me. I guess if I'm wondering if immediate removal of a wart that is not noticeable, painless or effects my eating, should be removed so quickly. He said it was non cancerous, but again he just wanted to get it removed asap. I'm still in a little shock on how this will effect the rest of my life, because I really do not know. I feel shameful and dirty. Will I ever get to kiss anyone again? Am I to be a sexless leprosy for the rest of my life? Is there anything I can change in my daily life to minimize the occurrence or will I have to get treatment every time I think I have something wrong? I'm sorry for the length, but I am just venturing into the unknown without a map.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I'm sorry that money is a constraint here because it would be nice to have it actually tested to see if it is HPV (wart virus).  However, it isn't really necessary, just would be interesting to know for certain in terms of your emotional and psychological response to it.

The wart virus can be around for quite a while before it actually makes a visible wart.  So you could have contracted HPV months before you noticed it.  

In my opinion, there is no rush at all to get it removed.  It is cosmetic.  The kind of HPV that causes oral cancer is not the same kind that makes a visible wart, so relax, there is no urgency, unless he knows something about that particular wart that I don't.  However, for your peace of mind, you will probably want it gone at some point.  Most people clear this type of HPV on their own within 12-24 months, at least clear it by the best tests we have right now.  This is just a consequence of the change in sexual practices in society right now.  If you have given oral sex to someone in the past, this may have come from that experience  

I would recommend that you talk with the sexual health clinic and see if they could freeze it off for you.  They probably have liquid nitrogen there to treat genital warts.  

Terri