please help.....need advice.....no insurance

[anonymous726]

hello everyone I am a 27 year pack a day smoker of 14 years.. my cousin passed away from oral cancer at 35 he was also a heavy smoker...I have had these suspicious bumps in my mouth for about 3 years now there are about 3-4 on the right side located on the top of the mandibular bone then on the left side there is a single lesion located under the mandibular bone I have been to 3 dentists and 2 doctors who briefly examined it and all concluded it to be mandibular tori. However I am not so convinced here are my symptoms these bumps get bigger and smaller through out the day (i do scrape my tongue across it a lot) i notice if i eat smoke or drink anything it gets hard and bigger then smaller and softer if there is no oral activity the last dentist who examined it did a complete x ray looked at it under the light touched it and used a blue ray light and said he was not concerned... my question is for all you that have been diagnosed already is this how it starts? also any advice on if i should follow up or just accept there diagnosis or mandibular tori? thanks

[RubyWitch]

If you have been to three dentist who have all examined these bumps and all of them have given you the same dx, then I would feel confident in accepting that. Dentists ARE trained most rigouisly to identify cancerous lesions and if they have any doubt, they will send you to an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who will take a biopsy for positive identification of the cells involved.
That your cousin died from oral cancer is fueling your fear and anxiety, as well it should. I am very sorry for your loss, let his untimely death be a huge wake up call for you.
As an ex-smoker myself, I don't say this lightly.......QUIT SMOKING!
If I can do it, ANYBODY can do it.
I wish you the best of luck. As smokers, that's what we count on, right?
Peace
Greenlydia

[anonymous726]

anyone help please?