Mouth issues are plentiful

October 26, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Please tell me about lumps in the mucosa (inside cheeks) in the mouth. My adult son has suffered from these for about 10 years. They are many and are filled with white squishy stuff that can be expressed through squeezing. They can be painful. He has been to many doctors and dentists for treatment but nothing works. Please, do you have any suggestions?

DEAR READER: You son likely has mucous cysts which are quite common. They are thought to be the result of sucking the lip membranes between the teeth or from biting the cheek lining itself. Generally speaking they are harmless and painless but can be extremely bothersome.
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The Welchol experience

October 8, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have read your column for a long time. I happened to come across an article where a person asked you about Welchol and you do tell them there are many side effects. I wanted to share my experience.

About 2 ½ years ago I suffered from transglobal amnesia. After reading about somebody that had been taking Lipitor and experienced a similar problem, I quit taking the Zocor that I was on. I told my doctor I would take one of three medications I had found online that were non-statins, one of which was Welchol. My doctor told me he took Welchol so that was what I was prescribed.
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No wooden toothpicks for this chap

April 3, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: As a child I frequently suffered from mouth sores. By chance I chewed on a wooden fork while eating French fried potatoes at age 12. (I am now 70.) The following day I had about 20 sores in my mouth near my lips.

Although no doctor then, or now, believed wooden utensils, tongue depressors or any other treated wood products put in the mouth caused these sores, I religiously made sure I did not use them. I didn’t have a sore again until I was 35.

I was at a function where chicken was served on wooden skewers. I carefully removed the skewer and ate the chicken. Two days later I had about 100 sores in my mouth and down my throat. I was in agony. My dentist helped [Read more...]

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Alternative diagnosis, treatment for mouth ulcers

November 10, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing in reference to the 46-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Behcet’s disease in Memphis, Tenn.

In my mid-40s, I kept having recurring mouth sores. I could have from two to 30 at a time. This made speech and eating difficult. I went to many doctors in the area (also in Memphis) and was diagnosed with many things, including mouth thrush, vitamin B deficiency, an ulcerated digestive system from mouth to anus and an allergic reaction to peanuts and fried foods.

No one could give me any relief, and everywhere I went, I received a different diagnosis.
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