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Lumps and Bumps in the Mouth: Common Causes and When to Get Checked

Many lumps in the mouth are harmless, such as mucus cysts, firm lumps from biting, bony growths and salivary stones. Here is what the common ones look like and which signs mean a lump should be checked promptly.

Updated September 2026·By the OHA editorial team·7 min read·How we write
Key takeaways
  • Many lumps in the mouth are harmless, such as mucus-filled cysts (mucoceles), firm lumps where you bite your cheek, bony growths called tori, and salivary gland stones.
  • You cannot reliably tell a harmless lump from a serious one yourself. The Australian Dental Association says mouth cancer can look very similar to other conditions.
  • The NHS lists a lump in your mouth, on your lip or in your neck among the signs of mouth cancer and says to see a GP or dentist. It gives no waiting time for a lump.
  • Get a lump checked promptly if it is growing, hard and fixed, bleeds, or comes with a red or white patch, an ulcer that does not heal, numbness or dentures that stop fitting.
  • Swelling in the mouth with difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing is an emergency.

The NHS says most lumps anywhere on the body are harmless, but advises against diagnosing yourself, and says a dentist can help with lumps in the mouth as well as a GP. This guide covers common lumps described by health bodies, and the signs that mean a lump needs checking promptly.

Common lumps and what they may be

Mucus cysts (mucoceles)

DermNet describes a mucocele as a smooth, soft, round lump filled with fluid. It forms when mucus or saliva leaks into the surrounding tissue, usually after injury to the tiny saliva ducts, for example from lip biting, often without the person noticing. About three in four are on the inside of the lower lip; they can also form on the floor of the mouth (where they are called a ranula), the gums, the cheeks and the tongue. They are often see-through or bluish, and painless.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust says mucoceles are common and may burst, collapse and refill again and again. DermNet says the shallow kind usually heal on their own, though they often come back. Royal Berkshire says a small one that causes no problems can be left alone; otherwise it can be removed by surgery along with the blocked saliva gland.

Firm lumps where you bite (fibroepithelial polyps)

Royal Berkshire and Mersey and West Lancashire NHS trusts describe a fibroepithelial polyp as a firm, pink, painless swelling, usually on the cheeks, lips or tongue, at any age. Mersey and West Lancashire says they often develop where the mouth has been injured, most commonly on the cheek or the side of the tongue. Both say treatment is only needed if it keeps being bitten or can be seen, and removal is done under local anaesthetic (the area is numbed).

Lumps from dentures rubbing

DermNet describes epulis fissuratum, an overgrowth of firm, pink tissue where the edge of a poorly fitting denture rubs against the gum and cheek. It explains that the bone under a denture changes over time, loosening the fit. The lump can become red and ulcerated. It can be removed and the denture reshaped to fit properly. DermNet says a link with mouth cancer is very uncommon, but the removed tissue should be tested as a precaution. See dentures.

Hard, bony lumps (tori)

A torus (plural tori) is a bony growth, usually in the middle of the roof of the mouth or on the tongue side of the lower jaw near the premolar teeth. DermNet says tori are common, hard and smooth, grow very slowly, are generally painless and are usually found by chance at a routine dental visit. It says no treatment is needed in most cases, although rarely a torus gets in the way of a denture and may be removed. A hard lump can have other causes, so have any new one checked by your dentist.

Salivary gland stones

The NHS says salivary gland stones are small, hard, white stones, most about the size of a pea, that form in the saliva glands, usually under the tongue, and can block the flow of saliva. They can cause a dull pain that comes and goes, swelling that flares up, or an infection. Intense pain at mealtimes may mean a gland is completely blocked.

The NHS suggests drinking plenty of water, gently massaging around the stone, and chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free sweets. Do not use anything sharp to try to remove it, which could cause injury and infection. Small stones sometimes come out on their own; otherwise a GP or hospital can remove it.

A red lump on the gum during pregnancy

The American Dental Association describes pregnancy tumours: red, raspberry-like growths on the gums that bleed easily. Despite the name, it says they are not cancer and usually disappear after the birth. DermNet calls this kind of growth a pyogenic granuloma and says that outside pregnancy it rarely goes away on its own. See pregnancy and oral health.

A swelling on the gum near a sore tooth

healthdirect Australia lists tooth decay, a cracked tooth, wisdom teeth, gum disease and a dental abscess among the causes of toothache with gum swelling, and oral cancer as a rare cause. The NHS says a dental abscess will not go away on its own and needs urgent treatment by a dentist. See dental abscess.

Which lumps need checking promptly?

A lump is one of the signs of mouth cancer. Signs listed by the NHS, healthdirect, the Australian Dental Association, the NIDCR (the US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) and the American Dental Association include:

  • a lump or thickening inside the mouth, on the lip or in the neck
  • a rough spot or crust (American Dental Association)
  • a red or white patch, or an ulcer that does not heal
  • pain, bleeding or numbness in the mouth
  • difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your jaw or tongue
  • jaw swelling that makes dentures fit badly (NIDCR, Australian Dental Association), or loose teeth (American Dental Association)

The NHS's general page on lumps adds: see a GP if a lump gets bigger, is painful, red or hot, is hard and does not move, lasts more than 2 weeks, or grows back after being removed. The Australian Dental Association says mouth cancer often causes no symptoms at first, so a painless lump still needs checking.

How long to wait differs by country

  • UK: the NHS says see a GP about a lump in your mouth, on your lip, in your neck or in your throat, and that a dentist can also help. It gives no waiting time for a lump.
  • Australia: healthdirect says see your doctor or dentist if you have any symptoms of mouth cancer, notice any changes in your mouth, or are unsure whether something is normal.
  • US: the NIDCR says see a dentist or doctor about a lump that lasts more than 2 weeks; the American Dental Association says call your dentist right away if it lasts longer than two weeks.

These timescales are the point to stop waiting, not a reason to delay. Keep it in proportion: the NHS says these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions, but if it is cancer, finding it early may make it easier to treat. See mouth cancer.

What happens at the appointment?

The NHS says your dentist or GP will usually ask about your symptoms, look and feel inside your mouth, and may feel your neck and jaw. If unsure what a lump is, they may refer you for tests such as a biopsy, where a very small sample is removed and tested (NHS).

When to see a dentist or GP
  • You have a new lump in your mouth, on your lip or in your neck, or are unsure whether something is normal (NHS, healthdirect).
  • A lump is growing, is hard and does not move, or grows back after being removed (NHS).
  • A lump comes with a red or white patch, an ulcer that has not healed, bleeding or numbness.
  • Your dentures rub or no longer fit (DermNet, NIDCR).
  • A salivary gland stone has not gone away, or there are signs of infection such as pain, redness, pus or a high temperature: see a GP (NHS).
  • Toothache with gum swelling lasts more than 2 days or does not improve with pain relief: see a dentist as soon as possible (healthdirect). In the UK, the NHS says ask for an urgent dentist appointment or contact NHS 111 if you think you have an abscess.
Get help urgently
  • UK: the NHS says call 999 or go to A&E if you are finding it hard to breathe, speak or swallow, have a lot of swelling in your mouth, find it hard to open your mouth, or have a swollen or painful eye or sudden problems with your eyesight. Do not drive yourself.
  • Australia: healthdirect says get emergency medical care if toothache or gum swelling causes problems with breathing or speaking, or swelling around your eye or neck.

Frequently asked questions

Is a hard lump on the roof of my mouth cancer?

Often it is a torus, a common bony growth that DermNet says usually needs no treatment. But a hard lump can have other causes, so have any new one checked by your dentist.

Do harmless lumps always need removing?

No. NHS trust leaflets say a fibroepithelial polyp only needs removing if it is being bitten or can be seen, and a small mucocele that causes no problems can be left alone.

Is a painless lump less worrying?

No. The Australian Dental Association says mouth cancer often causes no symptoms at first, so get a lump checked even if it does not hurt.

Sources

  1. Symptoms of mouth cancer, NHS, accessed September 2026
  2. Lumps, NHS, accessed September 2026
  3. Salivary gland stones, NHS, accessed September 2026
  4. Dental abscess, NHS, accessed September 2026
  5. Salivary mucoceles (leaflet), Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, accessed September 2026
  6. Fibro epithelial polyp (FEP) (leaflet), Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, accessed September 2026
  7. Fibroepithelial polyp (leaflet MWL2269), Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, accessed September 2026
  8. Mucocoele of the lip, DermNet, accessed September 2026
  9. Epulis, DermNet, accessed September 2026
  10. Pyogenic granuloma, DermNet, accessed September 2026
  11. Torus, DermNet, accessed September 2026
  12. Pregnancy and your dental health, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
  13. Oral cancer, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
  14. Mouth cancer, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  15. Toothache and gum swelling, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  16. Oral cancer, Australian Dental Association, accessed September 2026
  17. Oral cancer, NIH National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, accessed September 2026

This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.

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