Leukoplakia - Treating leukoplakia
- Introduction
- Symptoms of leukoplakia
- Causes of leukoplakia
- Treating leukoplakia
- Diagnosing leukoplakia
- Preventing leukoplakia
- Diagnosis
- Prevention
Treating leukoplakia is important as it should reduce your risk of developing mouth cancer.
Everyone with leukoplakia should consider the advice below, even if their biopsy finds no abnormal cells.
Stopping smoking
If you smoke or use other tobacco products, the most effective form of treatment for leukoplakia is to stop. Avoiding tobacco can cause a leukoplakia patch to slowly disappear and may also significantly reduce any risk of developing mouth cancer.
If you smoke, it is strongly recommended you stop as soon as possible. Your GP can advise you about stopping, and prescribe medication to help you quit. The NHS Smokefree website also provides information, support and advice about giving up smoking.
Read more about stopping smoking and treatments for stopping smoking.
Reducing alcohol
Giving up alcohol or reducing your alcohol consumption may reduce the size of a leukoplakia patch or cause it to disappear entirely. As with stopping smoking, avoiding alcohol or limiting your intake will reduce your risk of developing oral cancer.
If you do not want to stop drinking alcohol altogether, you should ensure you don't drink any more than the recommended daily limits, which are:
- three to four units a day for men
- two to three units a day for women
A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal-strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.
Visit your GP if you are finding it difficult to moderate your drinking. Counselling services and medication are available to help you reduce your alcohol intake.
Read more about drinking and alcohol and treatment for alcohol misuse.
Surgical treatment
Surgically removing the leukoplakia patch may reduce the risk of mouth cancer developing by removing any abnormal cells.
The leukoplakia is usually removed using a scalpel or laser. The procedure is typically done using a local anaesthetic, though a general anaesthetic may be required if the area is large.
Medical treatment
There is currently limited evidence that medical treatment will cause leukoplakia to disappear. Medications such as retinoids or substances made from vitamin A have been proposed, but these treatments can have adverse side effects, and there is no consistent evidence that they are effective.
Treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy are of no benefit.
Medical treatment may be used in cases where leukoplakia is associated with an infection by a fungus called Candida. In these cases, treatment with antifungal medicines may be used to get rid of the infection within the white patches. However, this is not a specific treatment for leukoplakia.
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