Question:

I have had a “pimple” inside the bottom of my lip for almost a month now. It is the same color as the rest of my inner lip, except for a very small white head at the tip. It is about the length of a pencil eraser but not nearly as thick. It does not hurt normally, but pretty often my top teeth sink into it when i close my mouth or when I am chewing. I can always feel it and it is very annoying. I read some other questions and answers about mucoeoles and blocked salivary glands, but I wanted to mention that the one inside my lip is “loose”…almost like a “skin tag” (which i do have a couple of on my neck, not sure if that is relevant/important). The other questions I read were about bumps, but mine is not just a raised bump, it is “wiggly.” I hope I provided enough information and am not repeating other questions. I have a feeling it may be a blocked salivary gland or one of the other mentioned conditions, but it has been atleast a month and it won`t go away, and I`m afraid my teeth hitting it will make it worse. What can I do for it?

Answer:

What you describe could be several different types of bumps, including some that were not discussed in the article “Things that go bump in the mouth” on the NetWellness website.

It could be that you initially had a mucocele that has undergone resolution together with scarring or fibrosis, leaving a firm bump of collagen or scar tissue (often called a fibroma). A bump composed of another tissue type is also possible, but nothing about your description sounds serious. Having said that, given the size and length of time this bump has persisted, it is unlikely to resolve (go away, smooth out) on its own.

I recommend you get an appointment to see an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to examine this “pimple” and, possibly, to have it removed (a minor surgery called excisional biopsy) and sent to a laboratory for processing and diagnosis. In this way, you not only get rid of the bump, but you (and the oral surgeon) find out exactly what it was and whether or not any other treatment would be necessary. Good luck!

Related Resources:

Things That Go Bump in the Mouth

For more information:

Go to the Mouth Diseases health topic.