Have Tongue Biting Habit And Noticed Small Bumps On It. Could It Be Fibroma?

Posted on Tue, 15 Jan 2013

Question: I have had a small bump on my tongue for about 10-15 years. It doesn't hurt and has never changed shape or size. I also chew my tongue when nervous or concentrating (so a lot of tongue chewing every day) - which makes me think this is Fibroma. If so, what is the procedure to get this removed? How quickly can I get this diagnosed?

Answered by Dr. Bibhu Dutt Nanda (2 hours later)

Hello and welcome to XXXXXXX forum,

Thanks for writing to us,

I appreciate you for providing us with a picture,

I would like you to know that tongue biting habit most commonly develops as a result of stress. Continuous trauma to the tongue from biting or chewing causes chronic irritation which result in formation of a mass of connective tissue on the tongue, which is painless.
The initial treatment involves breaking the tongue biting habit by means of self check, or using habit breaking appliances which will be provided by your dentist.
Secondly, a biopsy is performed to confirm if it is fibroma,
After confirming the diagnosis, complete surgical removal of fibroma is performed using lasers,
This procedure is painless and takes about half an hour to 45 minutes, stitches are placed if required and a mild painkiller is prescribed for 3 days.
Healing takes about a few weeks to a month.
It is nothing to worry about as the whole procedure is painless.

I recommend you to see a dental specialist soon,
I hope this answer was useful,
If you have further queries kindly write back,
I wish you good health.
Take care.

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Mohammed Kappan