Suggest Treatment For Tongue Ulcers

Posted on Sat, 11 Jul 2015

Question: Hi,

I am having a tongue ulcer for 10 months now. It started as a small pimple like thing, took various shapes and now, lookslike a 1 cm long, red, patchy (yellow) area. Seven months back, I started consulting doctors - skin, general physicial and recently a dentist. The dentist said that it was not getting healed because of the sharp edges of the tooth against which it kept rubbing.
I am not into smoking or chewing tobacco. Don't have a family history of ulcers. Age: 34. Gender: M.

Please advise.

Thanks,
XXXX - 0000.

Answered by Dr. Mahesh Kumar T S (51 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Traumatic ulcer, smoothen the sharp teeth, oral physician

Detailed Answer:
thanks for your query. I have gone through your query.

As far as the ulcer over the tongue is concerned, it can be a traumatic ulcer secondary to trauma caused by the sharp teeth. It is not safe to keep these sharp edges which causes trauma to tongue. It is already late, since you are telling more than a year. So consult a oral physician and get it evaluated. You need to get the sharp teeth smoothened. For the pain in the tongue you can use topical anesthetic like lignocaine and topical analgesic like choline salicylate.

If you leave it for long time it might turn into cancerous lesion. So get it treated as early as possible.
These are the possible diagnosis and treatment plan based on the description of the lesion by yourself. It is not necessary to have the habit of chewing tobacco or smoking. Chronic irritation is enough to result in major issues.

If you can upload the images of the tongue, I can give you exact diagnosis and treatment plan.
I hope I have answered your query. Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Mahesh Kumar T S (5 hours later)

Thanks for your answer and prescription. Please share your email ID, so that I may share the pictures as well.

I have uploaded a few pictures here - please give me an exact diagnosis and treatment plan.

Answered by Dr. Mahesh Kumar T S (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I recommend biopsy of the ulcer.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for uploading the images. I have gone through the images and I am concerned it may be something more sinister (in lines with a tumour). If I were your treating doctor, I will strongly recommend biopsy of the ulcer. Please visit an oral surgeon or an oncosurgeon and discuss about having it biospied. The next of treatment will be based on biopsy report.

If it is indeed a traumatic ulcer, then we can remove the cause by grinding the sharp teeth and prevent reccurence of the ulcer.

So, do not delay, immediately consult a oral maxillofacial surgeon or oncosurgeon and get it evaluated.

Hope this answered your query. If any queries are there, reply me back.

Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Mahesh Kumar T S (4 days later)

Thanks doctor, I got the biopsy done - attaching the report for your review. I have been told that its an initial stage of cancer, hence very much curable.

Since the last one week, I have observed that the ulcer size is decreasing - does it indicate anything? Shall i wait for some more time before I opt for surgery?

If I opt for surgery, what is the recovery period and after effects?

Thanks for your advice.

Answered by Dr. Mahesh Kumar T S (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Consult onco-surgeon, surgery, chemotherapy

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feed back. I have gone through your report.

I advise you to consult a oncologist and get it evaluated. You can wait for long time. Better to get it treated as early as possible. It should be treated by surgery. You need to get a Pet CT scan done to check the spread of tumor to other site. If there is spread of tumor to other site then you might have to go for radiotherapy also along with surgery. If you get it surgically treated properly then there are less chances of recurrence.

Decrease in size of the ulcer following biopsy does not indicate that it's reducing. So consult a oncologist and get it treated.

I hope I have answered your query. Take care.

Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj