Seeing white patches in your mouth? It could be a benign condition known as leukoplakia. Here’s what you need to know.

Good oral care entails more than brushing daily and visiting your dentist regularly. Any physical changes in your mouth should be examined by your dental professional to determine if you may have an oral disease such as leukoplakia. 

Leukoplakia is characterized by white or grey-colored lesions on the gums, tongue, inside of your cheeks, or the bottom of your mouth. The patches may appear flat with irregular textures, or they can be thick and hard. Although the patches don’t typically cause pain, you may notice extra sensitivity to hot, spicy, or acidic foods. Likewise, the patches may be sensitive to touch. In most cases, leukoplakia is a benign condition that responds well to non-surgical treatment. But as with any persistent changes in your oral health, your dentist can make a correct diagnosis and recommend treatment.

What Causes Leukoplakia?

Leukoplakia often stems from an irritation of oral tissues. The frequent culprit is long-term tobacco use, either from smoking or chewing tobacco. Another cause is alcohol consumption. Broken teeth or ill-fitting dentures may also irritate the delicate tissues of the mouth and lead to the white lesions.

Not all white lesions are leukoplakia, however. White patches can also be a sign of oral thrush, a yeast infection in the mouth. Thrush lesions may bleed easily and feel softer to the touch. Unlike leukoplakia, thrush lesions are usually brushed away. Your doctor can diagnose whether you have thrush or leukoplakia.

Oral thrush is often mistaken for another form of leukoplakia — hairy leukoplakia. With hairy leukoplakia, the patches appear fuzzy. Hairy leukoplakia develops when your immune system is compromised, such as from the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or the HIV/AIDS virus. Although EBV can lie dormant in your body for many years, an immune system weakened by HIV/AIDS can reactivate it, leading to hairy leukoplakia. Hairy leukoplakia is not a precursor to cancer. Antiviral medications are the first line of treatment for hairy leukoplakia

If you notice red spots near the white patches, it could be a sign of a precancerous condition called speckled leukoplakia. Your dentist can confirm the presence of precancerous cells with a cell sample or biopsy. If precancerous cells show up on the biopsy, the spots can be removed either by a scalpel, a laser, or a cold instrument to freeze and destroy the cancer cells. Yet even after removal, you may be at a higher risk of oral cancer, so regular checkups are recommended to catch any changes early.

Treating Leukoplakia

The first step in preventing or curing leukoplakia is to stop what is causing the irritation. In most cases, leukoplakia clears after you cease tobacco or alcohol use. Because smoking is associated with oral cancer, quitting cigarettes or chewing tobacco can also prevent cancerous growths.

Fixing any broken teeth and dental appliances also eliminates the constant irritation in the mouth. If those methods fail to correct the problem, your dentist may remove the patches via oral surgery.

In addition to quitting tobacco and reducing your alcohol intake, a healthy diet further reduces your risk of leukoplakia. When choosing foods, go for antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants in fresh produce act as a barrier against tissue-damaging molecules that could cause leukoplakia.

Although leukoplakia rarely indicates a serious medical issue, it warrants a full examination by a dental professional. Any persistent change in the feel or appearance of your mouth is best checked out by a dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Time for a Checkup?

Schedule an appointment at Espire’s Colorado Springs location today! Our highly trained dentists can check your mouth for any unusual changes, such as white patches. 

Don’t live near our Colorado Spring, CO office? Find one of our other locations near you.

Colorado Springs
8610 Explorer Drive #315
Colorado Springs, CO 80920