Oral Mucoceles are painless swellings around or in the mouth. They are usually caused by excessively biting or sucking the cheek or lower lip. However, the cause is unknown in most cases.
Common
- Requires medical diagnosis
- Symptoms: Small, soft, fluid-filled cysts, dome-shaped lesion
- Color: Typically red, whitish or transculent
- Location: Around the lips, gums, tongue, and roof of the mouth
- Treatment: No treatment necessary; surgery
Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second
Symptoms
A mucocele usually appears inside or around the lips, gums, tongue, and roof of the mouth. It appears as a dome-shaped lesion and can occur spontaneously.
These cysts are small, soft and filled with mucous. Most of the time, the lesion is translucent, but it can sometimes be blue. Deeper lesions can have a whitish coloration, while bleeding into the swelling can cause a bright red appearance. They are typically painless, but when they can burst, they emit a clear fluid.
Most mucoceles are less than 1 cm in diameter but range from 0.1-4 cm in size. The duration of the lesion is usually 3-6 weeks; however, it may vary from a few days to several years in exceptional instances.
The Blandin and Nuhn mucocele occurs exclusively at the midline of the tongue. It is similar to mucocele in other areas, but is caused by repeated trauma against the lower teeth.
Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second
What can I do?
You should occasionally check the cyst to make sure it does not become infected, and that it’s not getting any larger. Warm salt-water rinses may help speed up the healing process. Thrusting the lesion with your tongue can worsen the condition.
Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second
Should I seek medical care?
You should see a doctor for any cyst that appears in or around your mouth. This can help ensure that you receive a proper diagnosis.
However, if you are sure your lesion is a mucoceles, no treatment is necessary in most cases. If the mucoceles do not go away after long periods of time, consult a healthcare provider.
Treatment
Mucoceles usually goes away on their own, especially in infants and young children. If the cysts enlarge, laser treatment or steroid injections may be needed. Mucoceles can be removed with surgery, but there is a chance the cyst will reappear. In young patients, periodic follow-up for 6 months can be an alternative to surgery.
Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second
Source:
Catherine M Flaitz, DDS, MS. Mucocele and Ranula. Available at: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1076717-clinical#b4
The Specialist doctor from the University Hospital in Gothenburg, alumnus UC Berkeley. My doctoral dissertation is about Digital Health and I have published 5 scientific articles in teledermatology and artificial intelligence and others.