A person who chews tobacco or uses snuff may develop white, ridged bumps on the inside of the lips. These bumps can develop into verrucous carcinoma. Salivary Glands Salivary gland tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Tumors can also occur in the minor salivary glands, which are scattered throughout most of the lining of the mouth. The early growth of salivary gland tumors may or may not be painful.
Cancerous tumors tend to grow fast and feel hard.
Jaw Many kinds of noncancerous cysts cause jaw pain and swelling. Often, they're next to an impacted wisdom tooth and, even though they're not cancerous, they can destroy considerable areas of the jawbone as they expand. Certain types of cysts are more likely to recur. Odontomas are noncancerous overgrowths of tooth-forming cells that look like small, misshapen extra teeth. Because they may take the place of normal teeth or get in the way of normal teeth coming in, they're often surgically removed.