Question: I have enlarge foliate papillae on the right side of tongue, it's quite far back and close to the throat. But can be seen if I stick my tongue out. It's been like this for 3 weeks, hasn't changed a bit. It's quite red compare to the rest of the tongue, and I keep having this feeling of something stuck at the back of the throat (probably due to the enlarged papillae touching the throat), such feeling is more obvious (sometimes with burning sensation) after I eat spicy or hot food, when I wake up in the morning the feeling isn't that obvious. There seemed to be an ulcer like sore in the middle of the enlarged papillae aswell, but no bleeding. Not painful either. I'm 26 year old female, never smoked and don't drink. I did had poor oral hygiene before which leads to a tooth infection about 5 weeks ago (on my upper right tooth). Not sure if it's related, but the papillae started enlarging not long after I started gargling colloidal silver and salt water for the infected tooth. I'm worried if it could be tongue cancer? Here's a photo: http://a63.tinypic.com/muzgad.jpg

Hi Dr XXXXXXX I've attached the photo. No I don't have any swellings on my neck. I will start taking multivitamin and vitamin C tablets today. I thought ulcer is painful and should heal in a week or so? Mine isn't painful and it's been the same for the past 3 weeks

Thanks. Where I am it takes a long time to be able to see a specialist. We have to first go to GP to get referral letter then contact the specialist which usually requires few weeks of waiting time. Can dentist do biopsy?

Thank you. I'll go and see my dentist next week after Easter. Is tongue cancer primarily caused by smoking and drinking in elderly people? Can bad oral hygiene cause tongue cancer in young people? I'm so scared right now and can't stop thinking the worst. Because I've never had a mouth sore that is not painful and doesn't heal for 3 weeks long, and everywhere I looked online points to tongue cancer.