Do I Have Leukoplakia?

Do you smoke or chew tobacco?

Do you have white or grayish patches on your gums, the insides of your cheeks, the bottom of your mouth or your tongue?

Do you have white or grayish patches that can't be wiped away?

Do you have flat-textured patches?

Do you have patches of irregular shape?

Do you have patches with thick, hard, raised surface?

Do you have a lesion in your mouth that contains speckles of reddish discoloration?

Do you have lesions that are usually painless, but they may be sensitive to touch, heat or spicy food?

Do you have white patches along with raised, red lesions?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a condition that refers to white or gray patches that form on the tongue, gums, the insides of your cheeks, or the floor of the mouth. Leukoplakia represents a pathological reaction of the organism due to chronic irritation of the lining of the mouth. The exact cause is not known, but leukoplakia is usually related to the long-term use of tobacco. People who combine smoking and drinking alcohol have the highest risk of leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is usually harmless condition, but occasionally leukoplakia patches can show early signs of cancer.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a medical condition characterized by one or more white patches on the inside of your mouth. It commonly occurs in people who smoke or chew tobacco or drink alcohol daily. There are two main forms of leukoplakia: homogenous and non-homogenous. Homogenous form refers to mostly white evenly colored patches, with a smooth or wrinkled surface. Non-homogenous form refers to white or white-red patches of irregular shape that have a higher carcinogenic potential than the homogeneous form. A diagnosis is based on examining the patches in your mouth and testing for cancer.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a condition in which white thickened patches form inside your mouth. The appearance of the lesions may vary, but they are usually white or gray in color and slightly raised above the surface of the oral mucosa. The lesions of leukoplakia cannot be scraped off. This condition can occur at any time during life, but commonly affect older people. Some menopausal women may develop leukoplakia on the outside of their genitals. Treatment involves removing the source of irritation (stop smoking or drinking alcohol) and surgical removal of leukoplakia patches.