Hi,
I feel bad posting this when others have much more serious problems, but I've been having some mouth problems and I'm worried. Everything I read mentions the importance of catching oral cancer early...
It stared 3 months ago, I went out, had way too much to drink, and smoked 3 tobacco pipes in a row (normally I only smoke once a month, during the winter). The next day my mouth was devastaed, VERY sore, skin hanging, bleeding, etc. It seemed to clear up OK, but then about a week later I started having weird mouth problems. My gums constantly itch and burn, under and next to the teeth. I noticed two hard lumps on my hard pallete after having some hot pizza about six weeks ago. At first they were painless, now it's sore/burning in front of the bumps. During the last few weeks even the front third of my tongue has been burning, and there's a spot near the tip that feels funny, kind of like I always have something stuck there. It looks fine, unless I brush it a bit with my finger, then the taste buds (?) pull back and the spot looks red and more like a sore (doesn't happen with the same spot on the other side of my tongue). Now I'm starting to have lip problems, where my upper lip constant feels like I've just eaten something salty. There's also a small lump (not discolored) inside my upper lip, though that may have been there before and I never noticed. The soreness and burning are bad throughout my mouth, especially on the pallete and behind my back molars (where I have some old scar tissue from wisdon teeth removal), I often take cough drops just to numb my mouth (was taking listerine for a while, but when I started having tongue problems it stared to burn my tongue and make it feel worse).
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but my question is has anyone had these kinds of problems with oral cancer? Can it affect the whole mouth simultaneously like this? I went to the dentist for a cleaning (my first in years, I have to admit), he said we'll check again in 6 months. More recently I asked my GP about it as an aside when I was in for something else, he looked in very briefly and said that everything looks fine and that I should take Claritin (which does seem to lessen the pain, somewhat). Anyway, it's bothering me enough that I made another appointment with my dentist, and what I want to know is how insistent I should be about getting checked for cancer? I don't want to come off like I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but if it could be something serious I don't want to just have to wait and see, I want to catch it early. Anyone have any thoughts or a similar experience? Thanks!

Good morning Scott,
you certainly seem to have more than you fair share of problems,and I am quite sure I would be very insistant about getting things sorted out.In the last year I have had two mouth cancers(two days ago I was given the all clear on another biopsy)in all three of these events there was no pain.I think this is often the case and probably the reason why many people delay seeking treatment,to their eventual sorrow.I don't think you are making a mountain out of a molehill,it seems more like your advisers are doing the opposite.Stick to your guns,Scott, and insist that your doctor/dentist does what is necessary to clear this distressing condition. It is most important that you that you get this seen to without further delay.Good luck & let us know how you get on.
Keep Smiling
John