Hard lump on lower jaw

Hello, Sheep, and welcome to the CSN H&N discussion forum.

My advice to you is to call an ENT (Ear Nose & Throat) specialist and make an appointment right away as soon as possible and have this hard lump as you call it checked out. ENT's are trained in all things head and neck and they will get to the bottom of it. It could be a benign growth, it could be cancer, it could be nothing of any concern but you want to get to an ENT and get it checked as soon as possible because if it is something serious you need to get it taken care of right away because the smaller it is the better the time to take care of it. they may have you go get a CT Scan or x-ray, or both.

Also it is good you have a dentist appointment scheduled. Get on the ball and get your teeth straightened out and fixed up and if you are not already get on a regimen of brushing and flossing and good dental care and take care of your teeth they are very important. Don't ignore your dental care.

Also, you may need or want to coordinate care between your dentist and your ENT, many times they work together for the patient's good. They make an excellent care team.

Give your ENT and your dentist your health history such as your multiple infections and a folate deficiency and poor oral health. And you say you are getting a chest x-ray, so you are seeing someone who ordered that, so it may be helpful to coordinate between all these doctors and hopefully you can come up with solutions to improve your overall health in general and your oral health specifically

Also, in case you have not been active or proactive in your health and oral health situation and care this can be a time to get things straightened out and get a handle on things, and take an active role in your overall health situation. If I was in your situation I would trust in God and pray on your situation.

Our Motto Here--NEGU (Never Ever Give Up)

Wishing You the Best

Take care, God Bless

Russ

Very well, Wishing You The Best.

I am glad you are taking my advice and not fooling around, if it's something you caught it's small, if it is nothing, great you can be greatly relieved and rejoice either way that you did not wait any longer.

Check with your dentist about checkups, I see my dentist every 6 months. While you are there explain your regimen for tooth care and see if they feel that your tooth regimen is good or do they have something to add to it.

I floss in the morning and brush and then brush after every meal. The hygienist has me using mouthwash in the morning and swishing for a minimum of 30 seconds. And I use an increased fluoride toothpaste at night after brushing before bedtime. So I am doing a little more and a bit different than most folks but that is because of my cancer treatment and the effects of radiation and diminished saliva flow.

So get with the dentist and tailor a plan for your situation.

Good luck and I am glad this is a turning point for you.

Stop back and let us know the results.

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

Hello,

My advice is to bypass the dentist and have a biopsy of the hard lump as soon as you can. Start by going to specific kind of ENT doctor -- either a 'head and neck cancer surgeon' or a 'head and neck cancer pathologist.' The most important thing you can do is get a biopsy. Don't wait to see if it grows bigger or wait to see if it goes away.

Hello, again! Just to cover all bases, have you had the HPV vaccine? If not, please discuss with your doctor. It's great that you've begun to look after your health in general. A part of looking after your health could be focus on stress and anxiety. At age 27, you've got time to work on this slowly but surely. The "little" recommendations like meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, fresh air and exercise can really pay off, but there's no magic bullet...they take time, commitment, and practice. Right now you've got enough on your mind...but please consider these things going forward. Good luck with everything, Sheepstew.

Hi Sheep,

Cinnamon Scone here again. I'm following this thread closely and again, I simply want to reiterate my humble suggestion -- please get to a head and neck cancer surgeon or a head and neck cancer pathologist immediately for a biopsy of the mass. If you tell me where you're located (city and state), I will help you find a few options. Needless to say, I am concerned. A painless bump on the jaw should no longer be treated as a "dental" problem. I have years of experience, as a caregiver, to someone who had a painless mass on her upper gum.

Sheep,

You must get yourself on the right path NOW! Have the x-ray you received sent (via email) to an ENT doctor, specially a head & neck surgeon. After a head and neck surgeon looks at the x-ray, s/he will most likely order a set of additional diagnostic tests (for example, a CT scan, a PET scan, a bone scan, a biopsy, etc.). A biopsy also be performed to determine if the mass is benign (no cancer) or malignant (cancer). Further tests might also include genetic testing. A treatment plan will be put in place once all the data is known.

I don't want to alarm you, but if this mass turns out to be cancerous, it may be a very aggressive deadly cancer. You must - I repeat - you must advocate for your health care as though your life depends on it. I understand the difficulties if the UK NIH health system, but you must be assertive and get medical attention right away.

May I suggest you contact Professor Iain Hutchison, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at i.hutchison@qmul.ac.uk He may be able to put you on the right path immediately.

Good luck.