Leukoplakia is where white spots or patches, or sometimes speckled areas where white is mixed in with red form inside the mouth. Usually, leukoplakia patches are benign, but some can be a precursor for abnormal cell changes, which is why it’s always best to see a dentist in Newcastle if you notice any changes to the colour or texture inside your mouth. Hairy leukoplakia is slightly different and affects people who have a weaker immune system. It is due to exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus, which remains in the body for life and is usually dormant unless the immune system is compromised.

What Are the Symptoms of Leukoplakia?

Leukoplakia can develop inside your cheeks, underneath and on your tongue, and the bottom of the mouth. Typically, leukoplakia isn’t painful, so you may not notice these changes unless you visually examine your mouth. If you do notice the inside of your mouth is changing colour, leukoplakia can appear as a white or grey patch, and it may feel irregular or flat and can be harder or thickened in some areas. Sometimes the lesions created by leukoplakia are raised and red, and these can be more likely to have abnormal cells.

What Causes Leukoplakia?

The reason why some people develop this condition and not others isn’t really known but is thought to be related to irritation such as smoking or using chewing tobacco. It’s not unusual for people who regularly use smokeless tobacco products to develop leukoplakia in the area where they hold the tobacco in their mouth. Other causes include excessive alcohol use, having ill-fitting dentures. If a tooth is broken or another dental appliance has a rough or jagged edge that rubs on the tongue or inside the cheeks, it can cause this condition.

What to Do If You Think You Have Leukoplakia?

If you visit West Bowmanville Family Dental regularly for checkups, our dentists can check for signs of changes to the tissues in your mouth and generally monitor your dental health and your level of risk for developing problems like leukoplakia. If there are any changes, we can detect them quickly. Any abnormal patches detected in the mouth can be diagnosed with a biopsy. There are two ways of conducting a biopsy, and the first is with a small brush that collects cells from the surface of a lesion. However, a brush biopsy doesn’t always provide a definitive diagnosis. The second option is to surgically remove a small tissue sample or remove the entire patch. While more comprehensive, this does provide a definitive diagnosis.

What Is a Treatment for Leukoplakia?

Sometimes a small patch of leukoplakia in Clarington can be removed entirely during a biopsy or with a laser. It’s also important to remove any potential sources of irritation, such as mending any broken teeth or broken oral appliances or quitting alcohol or tobacco usage. Because leukoplakia can re-occur, it’s important to have regular checkups. If you have hairy leukoplakia, it usually doesn’t require any treatment and is unlikely to be precancerous. Any treatment that may be recommended might include anti-viral medication or topical treatment.

Is It Possible to Prevent Leukoplakia?

It isn’t always possible to prevent this condition, but avoiding excessive alcohol use and quitting smoking can be helpful, as can using any form of tobacco. It’s also important to have regular dental checkups because leukoplakia can increase your risk of developing oral cancer in Courtice in the future. Oral cancer tends to be painless until it is quite well advanced and trickier to treat.