 |
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
|
|
|
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
|
| Home | HealthTopics | Health Centers | Reference Library | Research |
 Join us on Facebook
|
Share on Facebook | Tweet |
|
Mouth Diseases |
White spot on my lower left lip03/27/2009 |
For the past couple of months, I have had a white spot on my lip that can`t be popped if I bite down on it. Not sure what this could be. It appears to keep getting larger. It doesn`t bother me. I am just concerned that it is there. What could this be.
There are a number of things that may be causing the "white spot" on your lip. If you are concerned, you should have it evaluated by your dentist or primary care physician.White spots on the lip can be caused by localized trauma, irritation, or anatomical variants. Most likely what you are describing is an irritation fibroma caused by biting the lip or some other form of trauma, or a Fordyce granule (sebaceous gland), both benign lesions that look abnormal.
The other possibility is a blocked minor salivary gland (labial minor salivary gland). In some instances the appearance of these lesions is similar to what you have described, and in most cases will resolve after a short period of time, after the entrapped saliva being released.
White lesions may be the result of an increase of keratin building up on the tissue surface. The density of keratin causes a reflection of white light (polychromatic) and thus appears as a white patch. Keratin is the skin material calluses are composed of and results in some cases as a response to trauma or irritation (protective effect). In your case, it may have been the result of lip chewing or cigarette irritation. White lesions need to be evaluated and monitored since in some cases they can be associated with abnormal tissues changes, especially if they are enlarging or become symptomatic.
Again, without seeing what you are describing and the asymptomatic nature, it may be nothing to worry about, but I would strongly suggest having it evaluated to rule out the possibility of potential pathology.
|
Richard J Jurevic, DDS, PhD Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences School of Dental Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
|
|
Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
|