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What are these little white bumps?

757
I posted this question before but thought I would try again in case there are some new thoughts out there. These small white bumps appeared one day almost 3.5 years ago. I've been to see my dentist, family doctor, 2 ENTs and a few other specialists. So far no one has been able to diagnose this. Anti fungals such as clotrimazole and fluconazole have not worked. The bumps can be scraped off with a toothbrush but will return within a few hours. If they are left, they will grow to the size seen in the picture over about 2 to 3 days and then seem to get a little wider and perhaps not so round. They then seem to scrape off by themselves simply by eating something and the cycle starts all over again. They are on the roof of my mouth, the inside of lower and upper lips, under my tongue and in my throat. It feels rough when I swallow.
I've had many tests done, swabs looking for yeast, blood work (I'll list all if that would help) and helicobacter pylori test. All negative or in the normal range.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what this could be?
Thanks very much.
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Avatar universal
my mom said change up your toothpaste . she said she had sore white bumps in her mouth also.she stopped useing toothpaste with whiteners in it and uses plain toothpaste with just flouride nothing else fancy.also she said the salt water rinse helped.dont make the rinse to strong.
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Avatar universal
poor baby.no mouthwash and less toothpaste.well floss alot with nonflavored floss to move any trapped food so you wont have a bacteria build up.if you can do a nice salt and water rinse i dont think that will hurt ask doc im not a doc, i a funeral director lol.
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Avatar universal
757
I am following your advice re the mouth wash. It didn't help so I've stopped. I'm also reducing the amount of toothpaste I use just in case that is irritating the skin.
Thanks again.
I'll post again when I do the biopsy... not looking forward to that. The first one hurt like crazy.
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Avatar universal
hi one more input. if i were you i would not put listerine or any other mouth wash at this time in my mouth.thats like putting alcohol on an opened sore. it could do more damage than good.its good for bad germs but too much of that stuff damages good germs also, lets say.we do have good bacteria living on us that help keep us ok .you maybe doing so much damage to your mouth your killing off what you need to fight off  thiese bumps.cant wait for the biopsy results so you can kick this in the butt.
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Avatar universal
757
Thanks very much for your response.
I have not been put on any antibiotics. I have tried a couple of different mouth washes (Listerine and Scope) to no avail. I was also prescrbed Nystatin also to no avail. The Nystatin was a rinse to eliminate yeast/fungus.
I'll ask about an antibiotic the next time I go to the doctor.
Thanks again.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
757
Thanks very much for your response.
The fungal infection possibility has not been ruled out yet. The biopsy might shed some light on that.
The bumps are definitely not food debris. My brother inlaw in an allergist and he doesn't believe the bumps are a result of an allergy.
I too thought it might be Fordyce but one of my drs stated with confidence that it was not. Apparently Fordyce does not scrape off or at least not as easilly as my bumps.
I will look into the sebaceous cysts.
Thanks very much again for your thoughts.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i had a similar case where i had white bumps on my tongue when i would wake up and in a day or so my tongue would peel as if it had a sunburn. i was told it happen because i ate too much hotcheetos.  
Helpful - 0
351246 tn?1379682132
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
If the white bumps on the lips are not due to fungal infection, food debris or allergic reaction, then they could be Fordyce granules. Tretinoin cream or gel along with alpha hydroxy acid helps treat this. Otherwise they can be permanently removed with lasers. Otherwise, it can be sebaceous cysts too. Take care!

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Avatar universal
wow so drs think its a fungus not bacterial did they make you rinse with peroxide and water yet or antibiotics, if not ask dr .good luck finding the answer
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