Leukoplakia is a condition that causes painless white or gray patches to develop inside your mouth. You may develop leukoplakia because something is irritating the inside of your mouth. People with leukoplakia may have an increased risk of oral cancer. Healthcare providers treat the condition with surgery that removes the patches.
Leukoplakia is a condition that creates white patches in your mouth. The patches don’t hurt but they don’t go away, even if you rub them. You may develop leukoplakia because something is irritating the inside of your mouth. Leukoplakia may become oral cancer, so your dentist may recommend you see a specialist to diagnose and treat it.
There are two types of leukoplakia:
The two leukoplakia subtypes are:
No, it doesn’t. Studies show less than 15% of people with leukoplakia develop oral cancer. Medical researchers are studying why and when leukoplakia may become cancer. For example, leukoplakia on your gums is less likely to become cancer than leukoplakia on your tongue or the floor of your mouth.
Not every white patch in your mouth will become cancer. Your healthcare provider will tell you what to expect if you have leukoplakia.
Leukoplakia is relatively rare. It affects less than 5% of people worldwide.
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Leukoplakia symptoms are patches inside your mouth that don’t go away. The patches may:
You can develop leukoplakia if something irritates tissue lining the inside of your mouth. For example, you may chew the inside of your cheeks or use dentures that don’t fit well.
Leukoplakia may also happen when certain genes mutate, or change. (Genes tell cells what to do, such as how fast they should grow or when they should die off to make room for new cells.) In leukoplakia, genetic mutations make mouth tissue cells multiply faster than normal, creating patches.
The following activities increase your chances of developing leukoplakia:
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A healthcare provider will diagnose leukoplakia by examining your mouth and any unusual white patches. They’ll try to find what’s causing your symptoms. For example, if you use dentures, your provider may make sure your dentures aren’t rubbing against your gums or the inside of your cheeks. Your provider may do biopsies and send a sample of your tissue to medical pathologists to examine under a microscope.
Yes, they should. A biopsy is the only way to determine if you have leukoplakia that may become oral cancer.
Healthcare providers treat leukoplakia by removing the patches in your mouth. They may remove the patches with a scalpel. Other potential procedures include:
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Because experts aren’t always sure what causes leukoplakia, you may not be able to prevent it. However, leukoplakia is linked to tobacco and alcohol use. You may lower your risk by:
Yes, it does. Studies suggest of leukoplakia comes back around 15% of the time after it’s removed.
No, it won’t. Surgery to remove leukoplakia is the only way to make it go away.
If you had surgery to remove leukoplakia, your provider may recommend you have regular follow-up appointments for several years. Providers typically recommend follow-up visits every six to 12 months. Visit a dentist every six months for routine dental care.
If you have leukoplakia, you may want to ask the following:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Leukoplakia is a condition that creates white patches on your tongue, gums or the inside of your cheeks. The patches don’t hurt but they don’t go away. Leukoplakia may look harmless, but the condition may become oral cancer. Talk to your dentist if you notice white patches in your mouth. They’ll examine your mouth and, if needed, refer you to specialists for tests and treatment.
Last reviewed on 07/05/2023.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy