Expert: Joel S. Teig, DMD, Diplomate ABOMS, retired - 12/31/2009

Question
Hello,

I had a canker sore, really bad one, about 2 months ago.  Afterwards, I developed little red bumps in the area of the canker sore. My doctor thought it was thrush and had me on a course of mycelex.  He took a cultire before he put me on the medicine and the culture came back 4 weeks later as negative for thrush.  He then sent me to an Oral Surgeon for a biopsy.  The doctor took one look at it and said it was "ectoo-something-or-other sweat glands that had gotten irritated and that a biopsy was not needed.

My question is...What?  What is irritated sweat glands in the mouth?  I haven't been able to find anything.  It still feels rough in my mouth...it kinda goes away when I go to sleep, but comes back after I've been up for awhile.

What exactly happened to me here?

Thank you,

Mark

Answer
Mark - Your description of what you have gone through is not sweat glands, but most likely minor salivary glands.  There are hundreds of these glands in the mouth.  These glands have small tubes that go from the glands into your mouth.  These tubes (ducts) often get blocked with mucous or minerals.  When they do, the duct can become blocked and saliva, which is continuously produced will balloons in into your tissues.  These balloons can break and produce the sore that looks like a canker sore.  I cannot be sure that is what is going on, but your description of what occurred it sounds like a blocked salivary gland.  You can help to reduce these with warm salt water rinses for a couple of minutes, 4-5 times a day.  

If you continue to get these, you should get back to the surgeon and he should help you get on a regimen that limits excess saliva production and helps to prevent these areas.  If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me again.