Question:

I have a small (size of unsharpened pecil lead) painful white spot on the gum below a front bottom tooth. It has been there about 10 days now. The pain from it woke me last night when the front of my chin was touched. Any food at all in this area is very painful. I get a fever blister on my lips 3-4 times a year. Could this be the same thing?

Answer:

The pain you describe together with the small size and relatively short duration of this spot makes me think it could be a canker sore (also known as aphthous ulcer). You can find additional information about aphthous ulcers at the link below, but this is not the same problem as your fever blister. Aphthous ulcers are not caused by a virus and cannot be transmitted to others. At this time, there is not much to do other than let the ulcer heal (should be completely healed within the next 3-4 days) and try to avoid touching it or ingesting any acidic or spicy food. 

In the unlikely event that it persists, see your dentist. 

Good luck! 

Related Resources:

Aphthous Ulcerations

For more information:

Go to the Mouth Diseases health topic.