Bumps on inside of lip are mostly non-malignant or benign. Lip bumps occur mostly on the lips, inside or inner side of the lips. This problem resolves on its own if not serious. Chronic bumps in lips are a concern but worrisome if they show no signs healing.
What causes a bump on the inside of the lip?
There are a handful of causes of bumps on the inside of your lips.
Mucocele
A common underlying cause of a bump inside lip is a mucocele. Also termed as a mucous cyst, a mucocele is a clear fluid-filled sac on the inside of lip (under mucosal lining). The sac can appear from bluish to purple or pinkish.
Sucking your inner lip surfaces between the teeth can contribute to the formation of a mucous cyst. These bumps are easily found on the lower lip of its victims. One can have a single mucocele on the lower lip nearer to the surface in contact with the teeth.
Mucoceles are typically painless and can cause no harm to nearby tissues. The only discomfort you can get is the annoying feeling of its presence although, they may remain there for the rest of your life if not removed.
A mucous cyst can also occur on the roof of the mouth, on tongue mucosa and inside the cheeks.
Lip trauma
Secondly, trauma can result in bumps inside the lips. Trauma on your lips can be attributed to repeated injuries, for instance, hitting your mouth, multiple or aggressive lip piercing and behavior or disorders that cause compulsive lip-biting among many other things.
Depending on what results to lip trauma, these can lead to formation blister on the inside lip (dark red bumps), ulcers or sores inside lip or in the mouth. Sores may occur when one is experiencing psychological realities like distress or feeling stress. Sores can be painful when felt by tongue.
Blisters and mouth sores heal on their own within a few days more so when you can overcome factors like stress. If you have an ulcer on the lip, inner cheeks or on gums avoid spicy and salty foods to accelerate healing.
Reactions from medication
Moving on, medication can produce reactions with the oral tissues. As a response, some people can end up with bumps inside lips after taking certain medicines.
Please, talk to your doctor if you highly suspect you have a body reaction to the medication.
Oral infections
Bacteria or yeast in the mouth can cause infections under certain favorable conditions in the mouth or gut.
Other risk factors that lead to bumps on inner lips
- Infection of canker sores
- Fibroma
- Burns in the mouth such as those caused by chemicals like alkalis.
- Lip piercing
Are the bumps inside your lips dangerous?
Bumps in the mouth that take longer to heal or lesions that won’t heal can be dangerous or sign of a serious condition.
How long have you been smoking or chewing tobacco and drinking? Cancer of the mouth is a dangerous oral condition. Some of the risk factors for oral cancer include:
- HPV infection. Anyone with HPV infection of the mouth is at risk.
- Heavy drinking and tobacco chewing especially to the extent that it becomes abusive
- Exposure to UV radiations becomes a risk factor for lip cancers
- Mutations and inherited defects in DNA
One can prevent developing cancer if cancer signs can be detected early. Diagnosis can be done when you or your doctor suspects you may have oral cancer. Most clinical presentations have revealed the presence of painless bumps in the mouth in many patients diagnosed (in addition to cancer symptoms).
White bump on the inside of the lip or clear bumps
White bumps on inner lips can mean you have a sore inside mouth or an ulcer has developed. Depending on causes or triggers of mouth sores, sometimes they appear as clear bumps (slightly raised) before they rapture to form typical ulcer. Pain is a significant symptom of mouth ulcers.
In many cases, mouth ulcers can heal on their own following a recovery from the factors behind them.
How to get rid of the bump on the inner lip side
Bumps inside the inner lip surface or in lip tissue can be harmless but uncomfortable to stay with all time. If these are temporary symptoms they can heal on their own after a short while. Treatment of inside-lip bumps depends on the factors or the underlying cause.
Oral injections
If the bumps cause inflammation of oral mucosae, a corticosteroid injection into the subsurface affected area can alleviate the symptoms. This form of treatment will ultimately quicken healing.
Cryotherapy
Can cryotherapy be used to cure bumps inside lips? This treatment procedure can clear the bumps but is optional as it is not used primarily in the treatment of oral bumps. In cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen is used to freeze away the bumps that are stubborn.
Patients should consider first the post-treatment outcomes in terms of the side-effects like the formation of blisters.
Laser removal
Laser removal is more effective and less risky as far as the side effects that could come with other treatments like lip surgery.
Laser therapy is recommended for patients with bumps that keep on coming and going away such as cysts. After diagnosis, your physician or doctor can refer you for laser removal.
Surgical removal
A superficial procedure typical of incision is the common method of removing bumps or growths in lips that tend to recur. Mucoceles and oral fibromas are some of the oral problems that can be gotten rid of this way.
Immediately after removal of the bumps, patients should continue with routine oral care except for the first two days of minimal lip movement. Patients should rely on soft liquid drinks or food during the first two weeks of healing.
This method is quite effective because it does not involve extensive damage to tissues in the lips. Sometimes, however, your problem may recur. Lip surgery may be required if your problem is very serious.
When to seek medical help
See your ENT doctor or dentist if you have hard lumps in the mouth. If you have unusually swollen lips or lump in lip after Juvederm call your doctor who treated you.
Home remedies for bumps inside the lip or mouth
These are the commonly used remedies with DIY steps to either aid healing or for symptom relief. Some natural ingredients for lip bumps can be applicable to certain oral problems only.
1. Sea saltwater
This is one of the effective natural treatments of benign bumps such as the mucocele. Prepare a warm solution and gargle gently while you spit out.
2. Take good yogurt
Besides providing your body vitamins, a good plain yogurt is an essential remedy for relief of discomfort.
3. Castor oil
Castor oil can have a soothing effect on the bumps if they cause a burning feeling in your mouth. Apply a few drops of tropical castor oil on the bumps on the inner side of the bottom lip.
4. Overnight tea tree oil remedy
Add 1/2 teaspoonful tea tree oil to a small amount (1 spoon) of honey. Apply to the area on the lip with bumps and leave it to stay overnight.
5. Apply ice
Place a few pieces of ice on the bumps and leave them to melt away to ease yourself of oral pain.
6. Sage
If you cannot get ice, prepare sage fluid for yourself. It will also help remove pain caused by bumps in the mouth.
CAUTION: A couple of remedies can aggravate the symptoms. For instance, if you have an open ulcer avoid applying lemon juice.
Advice from us
Do not substitute your doctor’s medical advice or treatment with general medical advice but always fulfill your doctor’s intentions by following their instructions.