Purple Spot on Side of Tongue - Scared :(

[michisafraid]

Hi there,

When I brush my teeth and floss them I also brush my tongue. Well a few weeks ago I noticed a small purple spot kind of on the side of my tongue. The spot is like half on the top/half on the side, and very tiny. Well naturally I got scared and made an appointment with my dentist. I barely made it to the chair I was shaking so bad. He did an oral cancer exam and told me it isn't showing any signs of oral cancer right now, so we could watch it. He ran the Velscope over it and it was normal. He said it can change and if it does he would want me to see an oral surgeon for a biopsy. He said if I feel more comfortable now going to an oral surgeon for a biopsy I can do that too.

So, I am so worried I think I shall go to the oral surgeon for a biopsy but I am afraid my panic won't allow me to make it to his chair. I am constantly looking at it to see if it grows/becomes a lump or a bump/changes in any way. I am scared to death this is the start of tongue cancer.

I am 46. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I used to smoke but I quit 19 months ago. I do grind my teeth and I do wear a mouth guard at night each and every night. I wonder if perhaps one of the pieces on the guard is sharp and aggravating that area causing the purple spot...? I don't know. I also wonder what this could be?

I am not sure if it is sore...I feel a soreness sometimes but I am not sure if it is coming from that area. If it is it feels like a sharp kind of burning pain and it is mild.

Has anyone ever heard of a purple spot on the tongue?

Thank You.

 

[comfortdentist]

Most likely purple spot in mouth is a blood vessel. From my memory the only other purple spot I can think of is a Kaposi's sarcoma which is rare unless someone has aids.

 

[Colchester Laser Dentist]

Hi Mich,

I don't know if you are in the UK, but if you are you can be referred to the Hospital for a consultation. As Maxillofacial departments are more used to seeing cancerous/pre-cancerous lesions they would be better placed to advise you. You can be referred for this through your dentist or your doctor.

For what its worth pigmented lesions that are cancerous are quite rare in the mouth and given the position top of my list of differential diagnoses would be trauma related blood blister (if you grind your teeth your mouthguard could be aggravating it and preventing it healing) or a blood vessel.