Sore on tongue

Lisha

Hi all,

I've had a sore on my tongue for a short while while now.
It feels like something sharp has irritated it.
I ve just looked at it. It's not very obvious but it seems to be slightly raised and oblong in shape. It's sore to touch.

I'm not sure Should I ask a doctor or a dentist for advice? What would your first post of call be please?

ballsymchugh

go to a dentist. how long is a short while??

Lisha

ballsymchugh wrote: »

go to a dentist. how long is a short while??

Thanks for reply
Been niggling for last 10 days but has been very annoying last 3 days.
Initially I thought I might have bitten it by accident.
I've been seen very regularly by dentist forlast 4 years. Last visit was during summer.
So hopefully it is something as boring as me biting it .

jellybear

I'd ask a pharmacist first. It's free and you may be able to get something over the counter to help

Oral Surgeon

jellybear wrote: »

I'd ask a pharmacist first. It's free and you may be able to get something over the counter to help

With all due respect to pharmacists, if they had even a day lecture on the various lesions of the mouth I'd be surprised!!

Go to a dentist if you are worried

jellybear

Oral Surgeon wrote: »

With all due respect to pharmacists, if they had even a day lecture on the various lesions of the mouth I'd be surprised!!

Go to a dentist if you are worried

Well you won't know until you ask

btkm8unsl0w5r4

jellybear wrote: »

Well you won't know until you ask

A pharmacist are not qualified to medical advice, and the fact they make a living selling medications means that you will get sold something to boot.

The only thing more expensive than good advice is bad advice. Go to your dentist.

jellybear

Well you're entitled to your opinion as am I and I would rather see if it's something like a bite, which the OP thinks it is, which a pharmacist can spot for free rather than spending the guts of €30/40 on a dentist.

ballsymchugh

but your opinion is wrong.

WhoWhatWhere

ballsymchugh wrote: »

but your opinion is wrong.

An opinion can never be wrong, the only thing wrong or right are facts and falsehoods.

Example, your post is a falsehood, mine is a fact.

ballsymchugh

WhoWhatWhere wrote: »

An opinion can never be wrong, the only thing wrong or right are facts and falsehoods.

Example, your post is a falsehood, mine is a fact.

true. let me rephrase. the advice was wrong.

i was at a lecture on thursday evening which touched on the different causes of oral ulcers. in the last few years there has been a rise in ulceration due to HPV, syphillis, even TB.
more than likely the OP's ulcer is traumatic in origin, assuming their diet is pretty good and well rounded, so if the cause of that is a sharp or broken tooth, a pharmacist giving bonjela will do feck all until that is smoothened.

all different assumptions but either way, sticking your tongue out at a pharmacist won't achieve much.

WhoWhatWhere

ballsymchugh wrote: »

true. let me rephrase. the advice was wrong.

i was at a lecture on thursday evening which touched on the different causes of oral ulcers. in the last few years there has been a rise in ulceration due to HPV, syphillis, even TB.
more than likely the OP's ulcer is traumatic in origin, assuming their diet is pretty good and well rounded, so if the cause of that is a sharp or broken tooth, a pharmacist giving bonjela will do feck all until that is smoothened.

all different assumptions but either way, sticking your tongue out at a pharmacist won't achieve much.

True, but I do agree it's fair to say if she just bit her tongue while asleep and little else it would feel like a kick in teeth to have dropped that money on a dentist.

OP you could ask the dentist if they'll take a wee look for a smaller fee than usual since its not a full check up.

allthedoyles

Salt and water overnight might help . nail biters get this kind of thing a lot .

jellybear

ballsymchugh wrote: »

but your opinion is wrong.

Wow.

Well, at least you elaborated on your initial post. However, as was mentioned, it would be a real kick in the teeth to spend money on a dentist when free advice is available. Whether the OP takes the advice or not is up to them but it is an option open to them, which was my point in the first place.

Hope you feel better soon OP ☺

EoghanIRL

^^
Free advice isn't the same thing as good advice.

I'd rather spend money going to a dentist or doctor and get the right advice.

How is a pharmacist going to tell if it's a traumatic lesion?

davo10

I don't think there is too much harm in going to a pharmacist, most are clued in and know the limits of their knowledge of oral pathology. More often than not they will prescribe something to soothe the soreness and advise the person to have it checked by a dentist.

At worst the medication given by the pharmacist will mask the issue for a prolonged period so that if it is due to a sharp tooth/filling and becomes scar tissue over time, or turns out to be cancerous, the op can always look back on these posts and think what could/should have been.

Soreness due to biting once on your tongue would have gone after a day or two, after 10 days it is fair to assume that the cause is still there or it would have healed. Your pharmacist may be able to make it more comfortable, he/she will not be able to tell you the cause nor treat it. So do whatever you like, it's your mouth.

jellybear

My point exactly davo10 ☺

jellybear

EoghanIRL wrote: »

^^
Free advice isn't the same thing as good advice.

I'd rather spend money going to a dentist or doctor and get the right advice.

How is a pharmacist going to tell if it's a traumatic lesion?

As I've already said, you won't know until you ask ☺

btkm8unsl0w5r4

jellybear wrote: »

As I've already said, you won't know until you ask ☺

You wont know after you have asked either....but you will be 15-20 euro less well off and carrying a bottle of some mouthwash.

Dianthus

You can be penny wise& pound foolish.
OP, 10days is a long time.
Either there's a sharp edge on a tooth which needs to be smoothed, or you're grinding during the night & need a mouthguard, or you have a lesion that needs to be biopsied to check for malignancy/infection ect. In all cases, your first port of call should be your dentist.

jellybear

Conor Small Oaf wrote: »

You wont know after you have asked either....but you will be 15-20 euro less well off and carrying a bottle of some mouthwash.

Only if you choose to buy it. Asking advice is free

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Profession advice is never free, and if it is ....its not. The advice will be to buy some non prescription mouthwash or vitamin tablets....so if you not going to take the advice all you have to lose is precious time. If its something more serious then the few days wasted can be the difference between a good and a bad outcome.

This is actually really bad advice, a sore tongue, oral lesion or ulcer of longer than 10 days duration can be a sign or something much more serious. A dentist is used to looking at tongues and gums and teeth and can tell whats normal and what is not. A pharmacist, while providing a valuable service is not in a position to X-ray, examine and diagnose anything....

Dianthus

Jellybean; 2 years ago you opened a post about noticing a swelling on your husky dogs eyebrow- for whom you had an appointment with a vet booked within the next 24 hours! OP as a human should surely be given the same priority,& proper professional care?

THREAD CLOSED AS OP HAS HAD NUMEROUS POSTERS OFFER SUFFICIENT ADVICE TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, BASED ON THEIR OWN PERSONAL PRIORITIES REGARDING THEIR HEALTH.

Oral Surgeon

jellybear wrote: »

Only if you choose to buy it. Asking advice is free

So your advice to the op is

not to seek (and pay for) an expert dental opinion

see another healthcare professional (not an expert in this field) because they are "free"

if they advise some over the counter meds/rinse, you don't need to take that advice...

So why go to the pharmacist at all??!!