Constantly rubbing tongue against teeth

[luciaemo]

Hi, did you find a way to stop it?

I have done yoga for 3 months and also tape my mouth shut at night to sleep. The condition has improved a lot but still there. I believe that the yoga and mouth taping has helped. Don't give up, the brain can adapt to new behaviors, it takes time and diligence. Still working at it. It is definitely neurological.

 

[letsconnect]

I have read through this whole thread and have yet to see a dentist reply - what gives? Isn't this "Ask a dentist?"

I suppose it's not really a dental question as such, that's why there haven't been any replies from dentists... would it be useful to get the input of a qualified clinical psychologist?

 

[Toothless33]

What kind of yoga? If you can let me know the name/website, I appreciate it. I’ve been like this since 2015. I have done everything (including taping my mouth) and nothing works. I’ve even had teeth removed.

I have done yoga for 3 months and also tape my mouth shut at night to sleep. The condition has improved a lot but still there. I believe that the yoga and mouth taping has helped. Don't give up, the brain can adapt to new behaviors, it takes time and diligence. Still working at it. It is definitely neurological.

 

[Wolfie]

What kind of yoga? If you can let me know the name/website, I appreciate it. I’ve been like this since 2015. I have done everything (including taping my mouth) and nothing works. I’ve even had teeth removed.

Teeth removed?? Which ones?? And it didnt help?? Do you have dentures now?? (((

 

[Wolfie]

Can this be happening to people who had some kind of change in their lower teeth in mouth? I chipped my tooth and my dentist polished it, said its ok. But tooth changed its shape and my tongue is rubbing there constantly, cant stop. Its sore and even bleeds sometimes I thought it has something to do with me quitting clear aligners but maybe it is related to change in mouth? Or is it OCD?

 

[HotRodR8rN8]

HELP!!!:
NOT HAVING A GAP PROBLEM SO MUCH BUT THIS IS CLOSEST TO SIMILAR THREAD I COULD FIND AFTER SO MUCH SEARCHING TO THE POINT MY PROBLEM INCREASED BC I WAS TRYING TO CONCENTRATE... I AM HAVING A TONGUE THRUSTING PROBLEM BUT ONLY ON THE BOTTOM LEFT SIDE SET OF TEETH WHERE IRONICALLY I HAVE ONLY 1 TOOTH LEFT THAT I CAN EVEN CONSIDER MY LEFT SIDE BC IT IS THE BOTTOM LEFT ONE THAT OS IS CLOSEST TO YOUR 2 FRONT BITERS THAT REMAINS SOULY ON THAT SIDE AND FOR SOME REASON I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO STOP TONGUE THRUSTING ON THAT ONE TOOTH OTHERWISE I GET CLINCHING OR LIKE LOCK JAW AND WHEN YOU HAVE DYING TEETH IT KILLS PAINFULLY NORMALLY I CHEW GUM ONLY WHENEVER THIS OCCURS BC CHEWING GUM IS SO PAINFUL TO MY TEETH BUT IM OUT OF GUM AND NO WAY TO GET ANY ANYTIME SOON
ANY IDEAS ON WHAT TO DO APPRECIATED!!!

 

[HotRodR8rN8]

I too sometimes find myself like now pushing as hard as I can against the back of my lone tooth I have on the left bottom side of my mouth that is still neighbord by my left bottom front biter for now but I'm only finding myself doing it to not allow my jaw to clinch my teeth together which either way need to stop doing both plz help

 

[Wolfie]

I too sometimes find myself like now pushing as hard as I can against the back of my lone tooth I have on the left bottom side of my mouth that is still neighbord by my left bottom front biter for now but I'm only finding myself doing it to not allow my jaw to clinch my teeth together which either way need to stop doing both plz help

Hi, I still didnt solve my problem, I push my lower front teeth and rub tongue against them all day, my tongue hurts I take trazodone and Atarax, but it doesnt help

 

[Toothless33]

Teeth removed?? Which ones?? And it didnt help?? Do you have dentures now?? (((

I had molar 14 and Biscupid (I think it’s misspelled) 13 removed on the top of my mouth. I was with a hole in my mouth for a long time. You can see it a little bit when I smile. I’m getting two implants. They are costing me a fortune. I already had the screws put in. In about 2 weeks they put in the crowns. I have no idea how my mouth is going to react to the new teeth. My dentist made me a bottom retainer to hold my jaw in place a while ago but it worked for a few days and I went back to the same ocd rubbing behavior. He is supposed to adjust the bottom retainer to fit the new implants and then he’s making me a nightguard. I’ve had a bunch of different nightguards a but since I was missing two teeth we have to wait for my new teeth so he can make me a new nightguard. After all that then we’ll see if I get any better. I’ve been on neurological medication such as Gabapetin, Carbamazepine and nothing. Trazodone is one of the most horrible medications I’ve ever taken. Terrible side effects. Amitriptyline. I have been on Bupropion and Clonazepan for a long time. And Temazepan to sleep. Nothing works. Oh and I even had Botox injected in my jaw and head because supposedly it helps bruxism and TMJ. The biggest waste of money. Do not do it. It’s a rip off.

 

[Wolfie]

I had molar 14 and Biscupid (I think it’s misspelled) 13 removed on the top of my mouth. I was with a hole in my mouth for a long time. You can see it a little bit when I smile. I’m getting two implants. They are costing me a fortune. I already had the screws put in. In about 2 weeks they put in the crowns. I have no idea how my mouth is going to react to the new teeth. My dentist made me a bottom retainer to hold my jaw in place a while ago but it worked for a few days and I went back to the same ocd rubbing behavior. He is supposed to adjust the bottom retainer to fit the new implants and then he’s making me a nightguard. I’ve had a bunch of different nightguards a but since I was missing two teeth we have to wait for my new teeth so he can make me a new nightguard. After all that then we’ll see if I get any better. I’ve been on neurological medication such as Gabapetin, Carbamazepine and nothing. Trazodone is one of the most horrible medications I’ve ever taken. Terrible side effects. Amitriptyline. I have been on Bupropion and Clonazepan for a long time. And Temazepan to sleep. Nothing works. Oh and I even had Botox injected in my jaw and head because supposedly it helps bruxism and TMJ. The biggest waste of money. Do not do it. It’s a rip off.

thank you so much for reply...i had to change to Mianserin because I felt very bad on trazodone. Are your other teeth ok or crowded? Did you have those 2 teeth removed because you rubbed tongue against them? Do you still do it with others? Nothing helps me to stop

 

[Toothless33]

thank you so much for reply...i had to change to Mianserin because I felt very bad on trazodone. Are your other teeth ok or crowded? Did you have those 2 teeth removed because you rubbed tongue against them? Do you still do it with others? Nothing helps me to stop

It all started with a root canal on 14. After they put the crown I could not stop rubbing my tongue against it constantly. A specialist had done the root canal and he said the root canal was perfect that I must have sinus problems (because I just happened to have a stuffy nose when I saw him). Then the dentist who put the crown said I just needed to get used to the crown. Years later 14 still continues to bother me and I continue with the rubbing me so I end up having sinus surgery! And then the pain moved to # 13. So I ended up at another endodontist who got obsessed with curing me and he ended up doing additional root canals on both 13 and 14. He only charged me $500 for thousands worth of work because he felt bad I had gone through so much already. During this time only 13 was bothering me so he concluded that after all the root canals if my tooth kept bothering me then there was no other option but to take it out. So I had 13 pulled and the discomfort/pain/ tongue obsession went back to 14 and canine 12 also started to get a numbing sensation. So I had 14 taken out (it was a crown) because it was the original culprit and the pain moved to 15. So I had two teeth taken out and the pain moved to the other two teeth next to those! It’s like a traveling sensation. My teeth are not crowded at all. I had braces as a child. I constantly rub my tongue against 12 and 15 (13 and 14 are gone now). So taking out the teeth did nothing. The discomfort moved to the other two teeth! I wake up in the morning and 12 is the one that starts bothering me first and my tongue gets obsessed with it (I also rub the roof of my mouth on top of 12) and then later the discomfort moved to 15 and my tongue gets obsessed with that tooth. Sometimes it’s both at the same time. I try to explain that I feel a tingling sensation that turns into a feeling of pressure that I feel like pulling out 15 with my fingers that’s why my tongue goes there because it feels that discomfort! But it’s like the chicken and the egg. My tongue is obsessed with the teeth because the teeth really hurt or my teeth hurt because I’m constantly rubbing them with my tongue. I look and sound like a crazy person. ? But if I’m super busy doing stuff, I forget about the teeth for a little while. Or if I have some beers with family/friends, I’ll forget about the teeth. When I wake up, I don’t have the sensations. So at night, I’m not rubbing or feel anything but I do take a sleeping pill. Without the pill, I would probably be obsessing all night. I’m a 47 year old woman. I’m married and have 2 kids. By 9 pm, I don’t want to deal with anyone. I just want to go to sleep to be done with the chronic pain because by that time 15 is in pain from rubbing it all day. I’m not working right now but when I was working I still had the obsession at work. My dentist tells me what is it in my life that I am so stressed about? And I’m like nothing! What stresses me out are these teeth! I have just always been an anxious, stressful person but I have a Masters Degree in Communications and if you see me interacting with other people, you would never guess I had this problem. The people at my regular doctor, the dentist, my friends, family see me as a happy outgoing person. The life of the party. They don’t understand how I can have a chronic condition since 2015 that no dentist, dr, neurologist, psychiatrist has been able to cure. Sorry I wrote so much. If I ever find a cure, I will have to write a book about it. I’m having my implants put in a couple of weeks. I’ll update this with the results. Good luck with your problem. I hope you haven’t had it as long as I have. I think for some people if the dentist adjusts your bite, it will make a difference. I just had years of teeth grinding so I think my teeth are extra sensitive plus there is obviously an ocd component in there that I haven’t been able to control with medication. I’ll tell my dr about Mianserin. He probably won’t give it to me because he has changed my medication so many times. He thinks I have to get up at 5 am and do Yoga at a Gym with an instructor. Like if I don’t have kids and a household to run. Btw, I workout almost everyday which is supposed entertain your mind and I rub my teeth the whole time I’m exercising.

 

[Wolfie]

It all started with a root canal on 14. After they put the crown I could not stop rubbing my tongue against it constantly. A specialist had done the root canal and he said the root canal was perfect that I must have sinus problems (because I just happened to have a stuffy nose when I saw him). Then the dentist who put the crown said I just needed to get used to the crown. Years later 14 still continues to bother me and I continue with the rubbing me so I end up having sinus surgery! And then the pain moved to # 13. So I ended up at another endodontist who got obsessed with curing me and he ended up doing additional root canals on both 13 and 14. He only charged me $500 for thousands worth of work because he felt bad I had gone through so much already. During this time only 13 was bothering me so he concluded that after all the root canals if my tooth kept bothering me then there was no other option but to take it out. So I had 13 pulled and the discomfort/pain/ tongue obsession went back to 14 and canine 12 also started to get a numbing sensation. So I had 14 taken out (it was a crown) because it was the original culprit and the pain moved to 15. So I had two teeth taken out and the pain moved to the other two teeth next to those! It’s like a traveling sensation. My teeth are not crowded at all. I had braces as a child. I constantly rub my tongue against 12 and 15 (13 and 14 are gone now). So taking out the teeth did nothing. The discomfort moved to the other two teeth! I wake up in the morning and 12 is the one that starts bothering me first and my tongue gets obsessed with it (I also rub the roof of my mouth on top of 12) and then later the discomfort moved to 15 and my tongue gets obsessed with that tooth. Sometimes it’s both at the same time. I try to explain that I feel a tingling sensation that turns into a feeling of pressure that I feel like pulling out 15 with my fingers that’s why my tongue goes there because it feels that discomfort! But it’s like the chicken and the egg. My tongue is obsessed with the teeth because the teeth really hurt or my teeth hurt because I’m constantly rubbing them with my tongue. I look and sound like a crazy person. ? But if I’m super busy doing stuff, I forget about the teeth for a little while. Or if I have some beers with family/friends, I’ll forget about the teeth. When I wake up, I don’t have the sensations. So at night, I’m not rubbing or feel anything but I do take a sleeping pill. Without the pill, I would probably be obsessing all night. I’m a 47 year old woman. I’m married and have 2 kids. By 9 pm, I don’t want to deal with anyone. I just want to go to sleep to be done with the chronic pain because by that time 15 is in pain from rubbing it all day. I’m not working right now but when I was working I still had the obsession at work. My dentist tells me what is it in my life that I am so stressed about? And I’m like nothing! What stresses me out are these teeth! I have just always been an anxious, stressful person but I have a Masters Degree in Communications and if you see me interacting with other people, you would never guess I had this problem. The people at my regular doctor, the dentist, my friends, family see me as a happy outgoing person. The life of the party. They don’t understand how I can have a chronic condition since 2015 that no dentist, dr, neurologist, psychiatrist has been able to cure. Sorry I wrote so much. If I ever find a cure, I will have to write a book about it. I’m having my implants put in a couple of weeks. I’ll update this with the results. Good luck with your problem. I hope you haven’t had it as long as I have. I think for some people if the dentist adjusts your bite, it will make a difference. I just had years of teeth grinding so I think my teeth are extra sensitive plus there is obviously an ocd component in there that I haven’t been able to control with medication. I’ll tell my dr about Mianserin. He probably won’t give it to me because he has changed my medication so many times. He thinks I have to get up at 5 am and do Yoga at a Gym with an instructor. Like if I don’t have kids and a household to run. Btw, I workout almost everyday which is supposed entertain your mind and I rub my teeth the whole time I’m exercising.

I truly admire you, you went through such a torture of losing teeth and it didnt help and now new teeth Its been only 2 months since I started doing this but every day is like hell. Sometimes I do feel like taking them out. Do you use any kind of retention so your teeth didnt move after braces? (I want to try braces, not sure if I can make it though) Also, someone mentioned mouth guard, but I am not sure that would help, because I hate to have plastic in mouth. Some ppl have a crib on teeth - it looks very uncomfortable With me, it started with clear aligners and chipped lower front tooth. I wasnt able to finish treatment because of bad anxiety and right after I stopped this change in mouth happened and I am not sure which one contributed to what I do but it started then I do it while I am writing this, while walking a dog, watching movie, anything you can imagine. I have rest in sleep only, just like you. I am 35 yr old woman, married, from middle Europe. I am also on reddit.com where I met one man whos been doing this with lower front teeth for 10 yrs. Also, I write occasional mails with someone from this forum, also, hes been doing it for many years. I dont know why is this happening. Pity the lady from this forum who mentioned it stopped with some medication is not online here anymore. Wish I knew what kind of medication she had...

 

[Wolfie]

It all started with a root canal on 14. After they put the crown I could not stop rubbing my tongue against it constantly. A specialist had done the root canal and he said the root canal was perfect that I must have sinus problems (because I just happened to have a stuffy nose when I saw him). Then the dentist who put the crown said I just needed to get used to the crown. Years later 14 still continues to bother me and I continue with the rubbing me so I end up having sinus surgery! And then the pain moved to # 13. So I ended up at another endodontist who got obsessed with curing me and he ended up doing additional root canals on both 13 and 14. He only charged me $500 for thousands worth of work because he felt bad I had gone through so much already. During this time only 13 was bothering me so he concluded that after all the root canals if my tooth kept bothering me then there was no other option but to take it out. So I had 13 pulled and the discomfort/pain/ tongue obsession went back to 14 and canine 12 also started to get a numbing sensation. So I had 14 taken out (it was a crown) because it was the original culprit and the pain moved to 15. So I had two teeth taken out and the pain moved to the other two teeth next to those! It’s like a traveling sensation. My teeth are not crowded at all. I had braces as a child. I constantly rub my tongue against 12 and 15 (13 and 14 are gone now). So taking out the teeth did nothing. The discomfort moved to the other two teeth! I wake up in the morning and 12 is the one that starts bothering me first and my tongue gets obsessed with it (I also rub the roof of my mouth on top of 12) and then later the discomfort moved to 15 and my tongue gets obsessed with that tooth. Sometimes it’s both at the same time. I try to explain that I feel a tingling sensation that turns into a feeling of pressure that I feel like pulling out 15 with my fingers that’s why my tongue goes there because it feels that discomfort! But it’s like the chicken and the egg. My tongue is obsessed with the teeth because the teeth really hurt or my teeth hurt because I’m constantly rubbing them with my tongue. I look and sound like a crazy person. ? But if I’m super busy doing stuff, I forget about the teeth for a little while. Or if I have some beers with family/friends, I’ll forget about the teeth. When I wake up, I don’t have the sensations. So at night, I’m not rubbing or feel anything but I do take a sleeping pill. Without the pill, I would probably be obsessing all night. I’m a 47 year old woman. I’m married and have 2 kids. By 9 pm, I don’t want to deal with anyone. I just want to go to sleep to be done with the chronic pain because by that time 15 is in pain from rubbing it all day. I’m not working right now but when I was working I still had the obsession at work. My dentist tells me what is it in my life that I am so stressed about? And I’m like nothing! What stresses me out are these teeth! I have just always been an anxious, stressful person but I have a Masters Degree in Communications and if you see me interacting with other people, you would never guess I had this problem. The people at my regular doctor, the dentist, my friends, family see me as a happy outgoing person. The life of the party. They don’t understand how I can have a chronic condition since 2015 that no dentist, dr, neurologist, psychiatrist has been able to cure. Sorry I wrote so much. If I ever find a cure, I will have to write a book about it. I’m having my implants put in a couple of weeks. I’ll update this with the results. Good luck with your problem. I hope you haven’t had it as long as I have. I think for some people if the dentist adjusts your bite, it will make a difference. I just had years of teeth grinding so I think my teeth are extra sensitive plus there is obviously an ocd component in there that I haven’t been able to control with medication. I’ll tell my dr about Mianserin. He probably won’t give it to me because he has changed my medication so many times. He thinks I have to get up at 5 am and do Yoga at a Gym with an instructor. Like if I don’t have kids and a household to run. Btw, I workout almost everyday which is supposed entertain your mind and I rub my teeth the whole time I’m exercising.

Hi dear. How are you? Are new implants ok? Did it help? Me - still the same and no change

 

[BrokenRecord]

I had to register just to add my name to the list. I've had this issue on and off for as long as I can remember. Usually it starts with some dental work. Regular cleanings don't make it recur. But as my name suggests the only area (that until reading the posts here) that I thought I had obsessive tendencies with involved music (listening to a song over and over again before moving onto the next). My dental/tongue woes, until recently, haven't usually lasted too long. But after getting a tooth extracted recently, I can't stop moving my tongue over the backs of my teeth--all of them. Oddly, I haven't felt the need to explore the healing area at all, which is good. I am self-employed and work at home so not too much stress in my life--especially now that the infected tooth is gone.

In any case, it made me feel so much better to know I'm not alone, that this isn't some really out there thing that no one else experiences, and that some of you have had success in stopping it. I'm going to try the throwing the head back thing.

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions.

 

[Wolfie]

I had to register just to add my name to the list. I've had this issue on and off for as long as I can remember. Usually it starts with some dental work. Regular cleanings don't make it recur. But as my name suggests the only area (that until reading the posts here) that I thought I had obsessive tendencies with involved music (listening to a song over and over again before moving onto the next). My dental/tongue woes, until recently, haven't usually lasted too long. But after getting a tooth extracted recently, I can't stop moving my tongue over the backs of my teeth--all of them. Oddly, I haven't felt the need to explore the healing area at all, which is good. I am self-employed and work at home so not too much stress in my life--especially now that the infected tooth is gone.

In any case, it made me feel so much better to know I'm not alone, that this isn't some really out there thing that no one else experiences and that some of you have had success in stopping it. I'm going to try the throwing the head back thing.

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions.

Hi, welcome. Did you read all? I have this problem since April. It came with change in mouth. I chipped lower front tooth and cant repair it because I need braces 1st. Also, I had clear aligners for 6 weeks and developed anxiety and insomnia. Not sure which contributed to it. I rub my tongue against crowded teeth all day. I just wish I could stop. I tried some anti depressants - Mianserin and trazodone and had some hours, or even days, when it stopped but never lasted. I also had bad side effects from AD so I had to stop. Now I am on hydroxyzine and alprazolam and will start Sertralin in 2 weeks. I wonder what we all have in common. And how can we make it stop. =/

 

[Enoughalready]

After having 4 wisdom teeth out 4 years ago, I could feel a little bit of movement in my teeth, hence my tongue going to my teeth started.
This has practically been constant for 4 years now, but lately it seems to be everyday and worse.
I found quickly that chewing gum helps as it distracts the tongue.
If I wake in the morning and it doesn’t come to mind I actually don’t do it, but as soon as I think about it, it starts.
My teeth settled down in weeks after surgery, but my tongue still continued.
Now after trying to put my tongue to the gum at the back of my front teeth to stop, my tongue now rubs the roof of my mouth.
Gum/hard sweets help, but not a cure.
I recently asked my dentist and hygienist about it, but they didn’t have an answer.
It’s so frustrating & exhausting, I’m praying someone comes on here with a cure/solution other than drugs. ??
Thanks everyone for writing, it’s good to know we are not all.

 

[gatoroml]

In 2015 I fell on my face resulting in several root canals my right side top front tooth was one of the dead teeth that I had to get a root canal on. I had braces and now invisiline. No matter there is still a corner of that tooth that seems crooked with the rest of the teeth and slightly slanted / sharp that I can’t stop rubbing my tongue on. I don’t believe it was like this until after the tooth died. There is a small gap that i slide the tooth on and a curve on the back side corner of the tooth and it’s addictive. sometimes it feels even slightly painful or sore but I am addicted to doing it and feel like it’s so bad for my teeth but I don’t know how to stop

This was my initial comment, but I couldn’t remember my log in to post an update so I started a new account.
This problem has gotten worse. It’s addictive. I will rub the tongue on the back corner of the tooth for literally hours straight. I have retainers and this helps stop it, but I am obsessed unfortunately. I used to only do it when I was high on marijuana. Instantly after smoking any amount of weed my tongue would immediately go there and I felt instant stimulation in the tooth prior to even putting my tongue on it. Now I am doing it even when I’m sober. I haven’t gone to my dentist because I don’t think there’s anything they’ll be able to do and I’m embarrassed of course. The gum around the tooth is now red and sore. There’s like a red indent / crease next to the tooth in the roof of my gum. I also have started sliding my finger nail / tip down the corner of the tooth as well.
From my research it could be my enamel being exposed or just be simply made up in my head.

I read online: “Many dental patients complain of oral symptoms after dental treatment, such as chronic pain or occlusal discomfort, for which the cause remains undetermined. These symptoms are often thought to be mental or emotional in origin, and patients are considered to have an “oral psychosomatic disorder”. Here’s a photo but it does not get the crooked corner justice.

 

[Enoughalready]

So after writing on here on Thursday, and dealing with this for 4 years, I came off the site thinking, what the hell, how can so many people have this issue and no one has found a cure.
So over the weekend I really thought about it, I decided that what ever we are doing, it has become a habit that we have started and our brain has decided it is the norm.
So I thought this is no different to trying to stop drinking or smoking, don't pick up the drink or the cigarette.
So since Friday I have ensured that every time I find my tongue moving, I simply place it back to it's resting position in my mouth.
Friday was tough, it was tiring to constanly do this but it felt great to be in control of the situation.
Saturday was easier, Sunday I hardly had to do it.
Have I really suffered for 4 years and all it has taken is will power and mind over matter?
I have suffered with ulcers, ear ache, jaw ache all from this habit.
We are in charge of our own bodies and I guess we have to listen to our bodies and be in control.
I pray that this simple solution of retaraining your brain to place the tongue back in the right position works for you to, it is exhausting to constantly battle with this habit.
I'll come back in a week or so and let you know how i'm going, but so far so good, and i'm now finding my tongue moving and i'm automatically placing it back to where it should be.
We have trained our brain to move the tongue, we need to now retrain it to place the tongue back into position.
Wishing you all the best!

 

[Rozzie G]

I had severe pain in my jaw for 2 years which started as a pain in particular teeth that moved around , I ended up having root canals and one of them I don't think I needed at all. The crown still hurts sometimes even though the tooth is dead. I think chewing my nails relentlessly for decades might have caused arthritis in my jaw. Luckily for me the pain did eventually go away but years later due to the pandemic and anxiety I now rub my tongue against particular teeth because they feel rough and I'm scared stiff I'll end up with the chronic jaw pain again. As the poster above mentioned I think the only way forward is to retrain the brain but it's exhausting. Some days I don't do it and feel fine, other days it builds up and by the end of the day I'm sick of it. I've considered anti anxiety medication but I'm hoping when the pandemic is over and I feel settled it might just disappear. It's been a year though. I just wanted to say hi really and say thanks for this thread because I feel less alone.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi, how are you? I am still same. Worse actually. It hurts so much. My tongue bleeds. I am afraid I will get cancer. How do I stop?