I have torus palate, and occasionally it becomes irritated and takes several days to heal. I have had an irritation for almost two weeks and it doesn't seem to want to go away. I use Vince, Listerine and baking soda, and it feels better until I eat. Should I stop eating for a day or two?

Barbra

Torus palatinus is a benign (noncancerous) bony growth from the center of the hard palate. Tori (plural for torus) are usually insignificant. However, if they are large enough, they can interfere with denture use, become irritated after meals and even interfere with swallowing.

In your case, it's probably not the torus itself that is irritated, but the oral mucosa lining the torus. Even without a torus, hard palate mucosa takes a beating. On one side you have a brick wall (the palatal bone), and on the other you have Captain Crunch, piping-hot pizza, corn nuts, coffee and so forth. Hard palate mucosa is fairly thick (thicker than you might think), but it can take only so much abuse before it becomes inflamed and even ulcerated.

If a torus is present, the overlying mucosa will receive more than the usual share of abuse, due to the fact that it is so exposed. Also, I suspect that this mucosa is thinner than normal. Thus, depending upon your diet, you may have recurring problems with inflamed or ulcerated torus mucosa.

Before embarking on a starvation diet, have you tried a soft diet? Try eating yogurt, pudding, cottage cheese (you get the idea) for a few days. Also avoid thermal injury (no nuclear-meltdown coffee or tea). Pay attention to how this tissue feels after you brush your teeth or use a mouthwash; you may have sensitivity to the detergent (sodium lauryl sulfate) that is commonly found in these items. Finally, you may need to avoid very acidic foods/liquids (citrus juices and vinegar, for example).

If the irritation continues despite this simple maneuver, you should see a doctor. An oral surgeon or an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) could best help you with this problem. One of these specialists could best determine whether your problem is due to chronic irritation or perhaps some other ailment. (Many conditions can cause chronic irritation or ulceration -- even cancer.) If it is a simple case of chronic irritation, you may need a topical medication (Orabase), which forms a sort of bandage over the mucosa. There is a prescription form of this medication, in which Orabase is combined with an anti-inflammatory steroid (Kenalog). Kenalog in Orabase can be helpful in difficult cases. (Please: I'd like to stress again that you need to see a doctor for this problem, if it does not clear after a few days of soft diet; do not self-treat.)

What if nothing works? Tori can be surgically removed, if all else fails. If this is a recurrent problem for you, you should discuss this option with your oral surgeon or ENT.