Dr. Hive....

[Woodhaven]

My 13 yo son came to me this evening and said there is a bump that moves in his cheek just above his teeth line, toward the back of his jaw.  It is not at the hinge of the jaw, but in his cheek at the level of the first of his lower back molars.

 

I checked and when I pinch his cheek the bump feels round, hard and larger than a marble.  It does seem to move around inside the flesh of his cheek when I try to move it with my fingers.  His skin on the outside of his cheek shows no sign of anything wrong. Inside his mouth is a small bump where he bit the inside of his cheek, but nothing else looks off. There are no open sores in his mouth. I can't see the "ball" by looking at his face.

 

Now I'm terrified.  I'll make an appointment for him to see a doctor, but I'll have no peace until I find out. 

 

I looked at pictures of where lymph nodes are on the face, but I don't think there are any in the fleshy part of the cheek. I'm so worried for him!

 

Any ideas what it might be?  He think it's been there about a week.

 

Thanks!

[gardenmom5]

there are lymph nodes in that area. 

[magnificent_baby]

It could be a salivary gland infection, or other such glands inside the mouth. I would wait to have it looked at on Monday unless he's running a fever, or it's painful or getting larger. If that's the case, I'd go to an urgent care tomorrow for an exam and possible antibiotics. 

[Laurie]

 

 

I checked and when I pinch his cheek the bump feels round, hard and larger than a marble.  It does seem to move around inside the flesh of his cheek when I try to move it with my fingers.  His skin on the outside of his cheek shows no sign of anything wrong. Inside his mouth is a small bump where he bit the inside of his cheek, but nothing else looks off. There are no open sores in his mouth. I can't see the "ball" by looking at his face.

 

 

 

I had a cyst removed from my cheek when I was about the same age as your son.  It was larger than a marble, and my mom took me to a plastic surgeon because she was concerned about how big the scar might be.  She was a nurse and was allowed to watch the dr. remove it...she marveled that he was able to remove it with such a small incision. 

Edited September 11, 2016 by Laurie

[YaelAldrich]

I get occasional swollen lymph nodes on my jaw. Hope it's nothing more for your son.

[fdrinca]

My thought is lymph node as well. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I also vote cyst.  I would not jump to any scary conclusions!  I hope the doctor clears up the mystery very soon!

[Woodhaven]

Thank you all! You've helped me to worry less.  I think I'm going to watch it for a week and see if it grows, shrinks, or anything changes.  I checked around his face and neck, and didn't find anything else swollen.

 

It isn't causing him any pain or discomfort and he has no fever, sore throat or sores currently, but may have had a sore in his mouth from biting his cheek. It could be a swollen lymph node.  If it doesn't go away or if it changes (gets bigger, hurts, whatever) I'll take him to see the doctor.  I may call on Monday to make an appointment and then cancel it if the lump goes away.

 

I was just terrified when he showed it to me, but I didn't let on that I was worried.  I told him it was probably a lymph node fighting off an infection. It's just not where I would expect a lymph node to be, but I read they can be in that location, so I am not as worried.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to answer me!  I'll try to come back in a week and say if there has been any change.

[ktgrok]

Lymph node, salivary gland, or cyst. He's of an age to start getting more acne, so could be that kind of cyst. I wouldn't worry. 

[Tree Frog]

My salivary glands swell up just like your son's description and location. Sometimes they get big enough I bite them and they become painful. My dentist told me a couple of weeks ago the glands can get a stone in them, like a kidney stone, which can cause the swelling, but once the stone passes the swelling goes down. He said there's also surgery for them, but didn't recommend it unless it becomes a chronic problem.

[Woodhaven]

Ha! Well last night when I was saying good night to him I asked him about the lump in his cheek.  He said it still didn't hurt, but it had origionally been lower on his jaw and had moved upward. I asked again if he had had any fevers and he said no, but then remembered he had had an ear ache on that side a week before.  So it probably is a lymph node.  I'll keep an eye on it, but I am much more confident it is a swollen lymph node now. 

 

I wish he had remembered the ear ache before!  Why didn't he tell me his ear was hurting??

 

Teenagers!

 

Thank you all for your insight and suggestions!!!!

[Acorn]

My child has had a cyst for years that sounds similar. Her ped is watching it but so far thinks it is fine.