Oral Fibroma (Irritation Fibroma)
An oral fibroma is a smooth, firm, pink bump that shows up inside the mouth, usually on the cheek, lip or side of the tongue, right where your teeth tend to catch. Most people find it with their tongue first. It doesn't hurt much, it doesn't go away, and once you notice it you can't stop poking at it. It's one of the most common lumps we see, and it's almost always harmless.
An oral fibroma, also called an irritation fibroma, is a firm, smooth bump of scar-like tissue that forms where the inside of the mouth gets bitten or rubbed repeatedly. It's not contagious and it's benign, but it won't shrink on its own. A dentist can remove it and send it for biopsy to confirm what it is. Get any bump that grows, bleeds or lasts past two weeks checked.
Not sure this is what you have? Answer five quick questions in our mouth spot checker. It compares what you see with more than 40 common conditions and tells you how soon to have it looked at.
- What is an oral fibroma?
- What a fibroma in the mouth looks like
- What causes a fibroma in the mouth?
- Cheek biting (morsicatio buccarum)
- The white line inside your cheek (linea alba)
- Fibroma vs. cancer and other look-alikes
- Symptoms
- Will it go away on its own?
- What you can do at home
- Over-the-counter options
- Oral fibroma removal
- Keeping it from coming back
- Kids, braces, dentures and other special cases
- When to see a dentist
- FAQ
What is an oral fibroma?
An oral fibroma is a small overgrowth of the dense, fibrous tissue that sits just under the lining of your mouth. The name sounds like a tumor, but most oral fibromas aren't true tumors at all. They're a reaction. When the same spot gets injured again and again, the body keeps laying down collagen to repair it, and over weeks or months that repair tissue piles up into a bump. Think of it as a callus or a little knot of scar tissue.
That's why you'll see several names for the same thing: irritation fibroma, traumatic fibroma, bite fibroma and, on a pathology report, focal fibrous hyperplasia. They all describe a firm, benign lump caused by chronic rubbing or biting. In large biopsy surveys, fibromas are consistently among the most common things dentists remove from the mouth.
What a fibroma in the mouth looks like
If you're looking at pictures of a fibroma in the mouth and comparing them to your own bump, these are the features that fit:
- Smooth and dome-shaped. Some sit flat on a broad base. Others hang from a short stalk, like a tiny balloon.
- Pink, the same color as the tissue around it, or a little paler. The top can turn white and rough if it keeps getting bitten.
- Firm to the touch. It feels rubbery, not squishy and not fluid-filled. Press on it and it doesn't change shape much.
- Usually small, often a few millimeters up to about the size of a pea. A few get larger, especially under a denture.
- Usually painless. It only hurts when you bite it, and then it can get sore or form a small ulcer on top for a few days.
- Stable. It grows slowly, if at all, and it doesn't come and go.
We only have one good photo to show here, so the diagrams below do the rest of the work. The key detail in the photo is how ordinary it looks: smooth surface, normal color, clear edges.
Where fibromas show up
- Inside the cheek. The most common spot by far, right along the line where your upper and lower back teeth meet. This is the classic "lump inside cheek" or "bump inside cheek" people search for.
- Inner lower lip. Common in lip biters and in kids with braces.
- Irritation fibroma on the tongue. Usually on the side, next to a sharp or broken tooth, or at the tip if you push your tongue against a gap between the front teeth.
- Irritation fibroma on the gum. Often near a rough filling, crown edge, or tartar buildup. Gum bumps have a wider list of look-alikes, so we like to see these.
- Under the tongue or on the palate. Less common. On the palate, they're often tied to a denture.
What causes a fibroma in the mouth?
Repeated, low-grade injury to one spot. The usual sources are:
- Cheek or lip biting, whether it's an accidental chomp while eating or a habit you do without thinking.
- A sharp or broken tooth, a chipped filling, or the rough edge of a crown.
- Braces, brackets and wires that rub the same spot.
- Dentures or partials that rock or have a rough or overextended edge.
- Tongue habits, like pushing against a gap, a rough tooth, or a tongue piercing.
- A bad bite, where the cheek or tongue gets pulled in between the teeth when you chew.
Here's how a few seconds of biting turns into a lasting lump:
Once the bump is there, it sticks out into the path of your teeth, so you bite it even more. That's the trap. The fibroma makes itself easier to bite, and each bite adds a little more scar tissue.
Cheek biting (morsicatio buccarum): why do I keep biting the inside of my cheek?
Chronic cheek biting is so common it has its own medical name, morsicatio buccarum. It's the most common reason people end up with a fibroma inside the cheek, and it leaves its own marks even when no lump forms.
What cheek biting looks like
Run your tongue along the inside of your cheek. In a habitual cheek biter, there's often a band of rough, shaggy, white or gray tissue along the bite line, sometimes with tiny peeling tags or small red raw spots. It's often on both sides. It doesn't wipe off cleanly the way oral thrush does, and it changes from week to week depending on how much you've been chewing on it. These "cheek biting scars" are thickened, callused lining. They're harmless and settle down when the biting stops.
Why people do it
- Accidental bites. A full cheek, a bite where the back teeth overlap edge to edge, or a new crown or filling that changes how things line up can make you catch your cheek while eating.
- A cheek biting habit. Many people chew their cheek when they're stressed, bored, concentrating or reading. It's often done without noticing. For some it falls into the same family as nail biting and skin picking, called body-focused repetitive behaviors.
- Cheek biting in sleep. Clenching and grinding at night can pull the cheek or tongue between the teeth. If you wake up with a sore, chewed-up cheek, nighttime biting is a good bet. Our page on tooth grinding and bruxism covers the signs.
- ADHD, anxiety and fidgeting. People with ADHD or anxiety often tell us the habit gets worse when they're restless or focused on something else. That's a common pattern, not a diagnosis, but it's worth mentioning to your physician or therapist if the habit is hard to shake.
Cheek biting treatment
Most people don't need treatment beyond breaking the cycle. What helps:
- Notice it. Just knowing the spot is there cuts down on a lot of biting. Some people put a sticky note on their monitor or steering wheel.
- Give your mouth something else to do. Sugar-free gum works for some people.
- Fix whatever your cheek keeps hitting. We can smooth a sharp cusp, polish a rough filling, or adjust a crown that's pulling the cheek in.
- A cheek biting guard. A thin, clear night guard keeps the cheek and tongue from slipping between the teeth while you sleep, and some people wear one during the day at a desk.
- Habit reversal training. If the biting feels compulsive, a therapist who works with body-focused repetitive behaviors can help. This works well for a lot of people.
What is the white line inside my cheek? (Linea alba)
Lots of people notice a thin, slightly raised white line inside the cheek and worry it's something serious. It's almost always linea alba, Latin for "white line." In the mouth, it runs horizontally along the inside of each cheek, right where your upper and lower teeth meet. (It has nothing to do with the linea alba your physician means when talking about the abdomen. Same name, different body part.)
Linea alba in the mouth is a mild callus. The cheek gets pressed and sucked against the edges of the teeth all day, and the lining thickens a little along that line. It's usually on both sides, stays thin and even, and matches your bite. It's more noticeable in people who clench, grind, bite their cheeks, or have teeth that crowd the cheek. It needs no treatment and often fades if the pressure or habit eases.
Two other normal things show up in this area. The parotid duct opening is a small bump on each cheek across from the upper back molars, where one of your main salivary glands drains. It's supposed to be there, and it's one of the most common "new lumps" people discover. Tiny yellow-white dots on the cheek are usually Fordyce spots, also normal.
What doesn't fit linea alba: a white patch that's thick, rough or wrinkled, only on one side, wider than a line, or doesn't follow the bite. A white patch that can't be wiped off or explained by rubbing should be looked at, because it could be leukoplakia or oral lichen planus.
Fibroma in mouth vs. cancer and other look-alikes
Most lumps in the mouth are harmless, and a smooth, firm, normal-colored bump at a bite spot is very likely a fibroma. These are the other bumps it's most often confused with:
| What it looks like | How it feels and behaves | |
|---|---|---|
| Oral fibroma | Smooth, pink, dome-shaped; may have a white top | Firm and rubbery. Painless unless bitten. Stays the same for months. |
| Mucocele | Clear or bluish bubble, usually on the inner lower lip | Soft and squishy. Often pops, leaks clear fluid, and refills. |
| Pyogenic granuloma | Bright red to purple, sometimes lumpy, often on the gums | Soft, bleeds easily, can grow fast. Common in pregnancy. |
| Oral papilloma | White or pink with a bumpy, cauliflower-like or finger-like surface | Soft, painless. The surface texture is the giveaway. |
| Lipoma | Smooth bump with a yellowish tint, often in the cheek | Soft and doughy. Slow growing. |
| Salivary gland tumor | Smooth lump, often on the palate or upper lip, normal or bluish color | Firm, not tied to biting, keeps slowly growing. |
| Tori | Hard, smooth bump of bone on the palate or inside the lower jaw | Rock-hard. Present for years. Not a soft-tissue lump. |
| Oral cancer | Sore that won't heal, red or white patch, or lump with an irregular or ulcerated surface | Firm or hard, may feel fixed to deeper tissue, keeps growing, may bleed or go numb. |
Fibroma vs. cancer: how to tell
You can't be completely sure by looking, and neither can we. That's why fibromas get sent to the lab when they're removed. But some features are reassuring and some aren't.
- More typical of a fibroma: smooth surface, normal pink color, a clear cause like a bite spot or sharp tooth, slow or no growth, and you can wiggle it a little over the tissue underneath.
- Reasons to get it checked soon: an ulcer on it that doesn't heal in two weeks, red or white speckling, a hard base that feels anchored, fast growth, bleeding without a bite, numbness, or a new lump in someone who smokes, vapes, chews tobacco or drinks heavily.
Rarely, a cancer can look like an innocent bump at first. A biopsy is the only way to know for sure, and most of the time it confirms a plain fibroma. If you've been told you need an oral cancer screening, it's a simple exam that takes a few minutes.
Symptoms of an oral fibroma
- A firm, smooth bump you can feel with your tongue
- No pain most of the time
- Soreness, a small ulcer, or a little bleeding right after you bite it
- A white, rough top from repeated biting
- A feeling that it's "in the way" when you chew or talk, which makes you bite it more
- Larger ones under a denture can make the denture rock or fit poorly
A fibroma shouldn't cause fever, swelling of the face, numbness, or a lump in the neck. Those point to something else and are worth a prompt visit.
Will an oral fibroma go away on its own?
No. This is the most common question we get about them, and the honest answer is that a true fibroma doesn't shrink once it's formed. It's made of collagen, the same stuff as a scar, and scars don't dissolve.
What can change is the swelling around it. A fresh bite spot can be puffy and tender for a week or two, then settle down and look smaller. If a bump goes away completely in that time, it was probably swelling from a bite, not a fibroma. If it's still there after two weeks, it's not going anywhere.
Leaving a small, painless fibroma alone isn't dangerous if it's been looked at. But most people choose removal because they keep biting it, and because having it biopsied puts the question to rest.
What you can do at home
There's no cream or rinse that makes a fibroma disappear. Home care is about keeping a bitten bump comfortable and not making it bigger while you wait to have it seen.
- Stop testing it. Poking it with your tongue or teeth keeps it irritated. Easier said than done, we know.
- Look for the cause. Check whether it lines up with a sharp tooth, a broken filling, a brace bracket or the edge of a denture. Tell us what you find.
- Cover sharp spots. Orthodontic wax over a bracket or sharp tooth edge protects the area until it can be fixed.
- Rinse if it's sore. Warm salt water (½ teaspoon salt in a cup of water), swish and spit, 2 to 3 times a day.
- Chew carefully. Slow down, chew on the other side, and skip crunchy, sharp foods for a few days after you bite it.
- Take a picture. A phone photo next to a ruler or coin helps you and us tell if it's changing.
Things not to try
- Don't cut, pop, clip or tie off a fibroma. There's nothing inside to drain. You'll cause bleeding and infection risk, and the lab can't examine tissue you've thrown away.
- Don't burn it with aspirin, peroxide, alcohol or "wart remover." These injure normal tissue and can make the bump bigger.
- Don't wait out a bump that's changing. Growth, bleeding or a sore that won't heal needs a visit, not more time.
Over-the-counter options for a bitten fibroma
These won't remove a fibroma. They help when you've bitten it and it's sore.
| Type | What it does | Things to know |
|---|---|---|
| Orthodontic or dental wax | Covers a bracket or sharp tooth edge that keeps hitting the spot | Cheap and safe. A stopgap until the edge is fixed. |
| Protective pastes, patches and films | Form a barrier over a sore, ulcerated top | Dry the area with a cotton swab first so it sticks. |
| Numbing gels (benzocaine, lidocaine) | Short-term relief before eating | Use as the label directs. Do not use benzocaine in children under 2. The FDA warns it can cause a rare but dangerous blood condition (methemoglobinemia). Check with your physician before using it during pregnancy. |
| Salt-water or alcohol-free antiseptic rinse | Keeps a bitten spot clean | Swish and spit. Alcohol-based rinses sting. |
| Pain relievers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen) | Overall soreness | Swallow as the label directs. Never hold a pill against the sore. In pregnancy, ask your OB which one to use. |
Oral fibroma removal: how is a fibroma removed?
The treatment for a fibroma in the mouth is removal, done as an excisional biopsy. That means taking the whole bump out and sending it to an oral pathologist, who examines it under a microscope. One visit both treats it and confirms what it is.
What we do
- Look for the cause first. We check your bite, nearby teeth and fillings, and any appliance or denture. If we don't fix what's irritating the spot, a new fibroma can grow back in the same place.
- Talk through your options. Many small fibromas on the cheek, lip or tongue can be removed right here. Larger ones, or ones in harder-to-reach spots, we refer to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Either way, we coordinate the care and follow the pathology report.
- Confirm the diagnosis. Everything we remove goes to the lab. If a bump doesn't look like a typical fibroma, we'll explain why and what the next step is. Our oral medicine and diagnosis page covers how we work up spots that are harder to pin down.
What fibroma surgery is like
- Numbing. A local anesthetic, the same kind used for a filling. You're awake and shouldn't feel pain, just some pressure.
- Removal. The bump is removed with a small scalpel or, in some offices, a soft-tissue laser. Both work well. The procedure itself usually takes only a few minutes.
- Closing. Often a couple of small stitches, which may dissolve on their own.
- Healing. Expect mild soreness for a few days. Most spots heal in about 1 to 2 weeks. Soft foods and gentle salt-water rinses help.
- Results. The lab report usually comes back within about a week or two. We'll call you with it.
Follow the aftercare sheet you're given, and call us if bleeding, swelling or pain gets worse after the first couple of days instead of better.
Fibroma in mouth removal cost
Cost depends on the size and location of the bump, whether it's done here or by a surgeon, and the lab fee for the biopsy. Because it's a diagnostic procedure, dental or medical insurance often covers part of it, but plans vary a lot. We'll give you an estimate before anything is done.
Keeping a fibroma from coming back
Fibromas don't usually come back after they're removed, as long as the source of irritation is gone. If the biting or rubbing keeps going, a new one can form in the same spot. We can't promise it won't happen, but these steps make it much less likely:
- Get sharp edges fixed. Chipped teeth, rough fillings and worn crowns are quick to smooth or repair.
- Work on the habit. See the cheek-biting tips above.
- Wear a night guard if you clench, grind or bite at night.
- Keep dentures fitting well. Loose or rocking dentures should be relined or adjusted, not tolerated.
- Keep up with routine exams. A comprehensive dental exam includes a check of the cheeks, tongue, lips and palate, so new bumps get noticed while they're small.
Kids, braces, dentures and other special cases
Children and teens
Kids get fibromas too, most often on the lower lip or cheek from braces, lip biting, or a sharp edge on a tooth that's coming in. A soft, bluish bump on a child's lower lip is more likely a mucocele than a fibroma. Also watch for a sore after dental work: children sometimes chew their numb lip or cheek, which causes an ulcer that heals in about a week and isn't a fibroma.
Braces
Wax over brackets and wires that rub, and let your orthodontist know about any bump that develops. Many can be dealt with once the braces come off, but a growing or bleeding one shouldn't wait.
Denture wearers
A denture with a rough or overextended edge can cause folds of extra tissue along the gum ridge, called denture-induced fibrous hyperplasia (epulis fissuratum). It's a cousin of the irritation fibroma. Adjusting or remaking the denture helps, and larger folds may need to be removed before a new denture will fit. Learn more about dentures.
Pregnancy
Fibroma removal is usually elective, so many people wait until after the baby arrives. If it's bothering you, routine dental procedures with local anesthetic are considered safe during pregnancy, and the second trimester is often the most comfortable time. A red, bleeding gum bump in pregnancy is more likely a pregnancy tumor (pyogenic granuloma).
After head and neck cancer, or with a weakened immune system
If you've had cancer treatment to the head and neck, or your immune system is weakened, we'd rather see any new lump promptly than wait. Our head and neck cancer dental care page explains how we work alongside your oncology team.
When to see a dentist about a lump inside your cheek or lip
Make an appointment if:
- A bump is still there after 2 weeks
- You keep biting it, or it gets in the way of eating or talking
- It sits next to a sharp tooth, broken filling, brace or denture edge
- Your denture doesn't fit because of extra tissue
- You want to know for sure what it is
Get care quickly if:
- It's growing week to week, or it's larger than about 1 cm (⅜ inch)
- It has an ulcer that hasn't healed in 2 weeks, or it bleeds without being bitten
- It's hard, feels fixed in place, or you have numbness nearby
- There's a red or white patch with it, or a new lump in your neck
- You've had head and neck cancer, or you use tobacco or drink heavily
Oral fibroma FAQ
What is an oral fibroma?
An oral fibroma is a firm, smooth, benign bump made of scar-like collagen that forms inside the mouth. It's usually caused by repeated biting or rubbing of one spot, which is why it's also called an irritation fibroma or traumatic fibroma. It's most common on the inside of the cheek, the lower lip and the side of the tongue.
What causes a fibroma in the mouth?
Most fibromas in the mouth are caused by chronic irritation: cheek or lip biting, a sharp or broken tooth, a rough filling, braces, or a poorly fitting denture. Each small injury heals with a bit of extra collagen, and over weeks or months that builds into a firm bump. Once it sticks out, it gets bitten more, which makes it grow.
Will an oral fibroma go away on its own?
No. An oral fibroma is made of dense scar-like tissue and doesn't shrink once it has formed. Swelling from a fresh bite can go down over a week or two, but if a firm bump is still there after two weeks, it's likely to stay. Removal is the only way to get rid of it.
Is an oral fibroma cancerous?
An oral fibroma is benign. It isn't cancer and doesn't turn into cancer. Because a few uncommon conditions can look similar, fibromas are sent for a biopsy when removed, and that report confirms what the bump is. A lump that grows quickly, bleeds, ulcerates or feels hard and fixed should be checked promptly.
How is a fibroma in the mouth removed?
A fibroma is removed with a short procedure called an excisional biopsy. The area is numbed with local anesthetic, the bump is cut out with a scalpel or soft-tissue laser, and a stitch or two may be placed. The tissue goes to a lab to confirm the diagnosis. Most spots heal in about 1 to 2 weeks.
Does fibroma removal hurt?
The procedure itself shouldn't hurt, since the area is numbed first, the same as for a filling. Afterward, most people have mild soreness for a few days that over-the-counter pain relievers handle well. Soft foods and salt-water rinses make healing easier.
Can an oral fibroma come back after removal?
It's uncommon, but it can happen if whatever caused it keeps irritating the same spot. That's why the cause matters as much as the removal. Fixing sharp teeth, adjusting dentures and breaking a biting habit lower the chance of a new one forming.
Why do I keep biting the inside of my cheek?
Common reasons include a bite where the back teeth line up edge to edge, a new crown or filling that changed your bite, swelling from an earlier bite, clenching or grinding at night, and a stress or concentration habit. Once a bump or swollen spot forms, it sticks out into the path of your teeth, so you bite it more. A dentist can check your bite and smooth any sharp edge your cheek keeps hitting.
How do I stop biting my cheek in my sleep?
A thin, custom night guard is the most reliable fix, because it keeps the cheek and tongue from slipping between the teeth while you sleep. It also protects your teeth if you grind. Getting sharp edges smoothed and treating any clenching helps too.
What is the white line inside my cheek?
A thin, white, slightly raised line running along the inside of the cheek where your teeth meet is almost always linea alba. It's a harmless callus from the cheek pressing against the teeth, often on both sides, and it needs no treatment. A white patch that's thick, rough, on only one side, or not along the bite line should be checked by a dentist.
What does an irritation fibroma on the tongue look like?
An irritation fibroma on the tongue is usually a smooth, firm, pink bump on the side or tip of the tongue, often next to a sharp tooth or a gap between teeth that the tongue rubs. It's painless unless bitten. A sore, red bump on the tongue that comes and goes in a day or two is more likely an inflamed taste bud, sometimes called a lie bump.
Can an irritation fibroma form on the gum?
Yes. An irritation fibroma on the gum often grows near tartar, a rough filling edge or a crown margin. Gum bumps have a longer list of look-alikes, including pyogenic granulomas and other reactive growths, so a dentist should examine any lump on the gums and usually biopsy it if it needs removal.
How much does it cost to remove a fibroma in the mouth?
The cost depends on the size and location of the fibroma, whether a general dentist or an oral surgeon removes it, and the lab fee for the biopsy. Dental or medical insurance often covers part of it because it's a diagnostic procedure. Ask for an estimate before the procedure.
Found a bump you keep biting?
If you're in the Jacksonville area and there's a lump inside your cheek, lip or tongue that won't go away, we're glad to take a look. Dr. Henley will check what's causing it, talk through whether it should come out, and make sure it gets a proper biopsy if it does.
Related conditions
Sources
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- Cohen PR. Biting fibroma of the lower lip: a case report and literature review on an irritation fibroma occurring at the traumatic site of a tooth bite. Cureus. 2022;14(12):e32237.
- Lalchandani CM, Tandon S, Rai TS, et al. Recurrent irritation fibroma, "what lies beneath": a multidisciplinary treatment approach. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2020;13(3):306–309.
- Kansky AA, Didanovic V, Dovsak T, et al. Epidemiology of oral mucosal lesions in Slovenia. Radiol Oncol. 2018;52(3):263–266.
- Nautiyal M, Kumar Vadivel J, Ramalingam K. Prevalence of keratosis in the oral cavity: a clinical retrospective study. Cureus. 2024;16(1):e52199.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Risk of serious and potentially fatal blood disorder prompts FDA action on oral over-the-counter benzocaine products. 2018.
This page is for general education and isn't a diagnosis. Every mouth is different. If you have a sore you're worried about, see your dentist or physician. Photos marked Wikimedia Commons are used under their listed licenses and may have been cropped or resized.