These have many causes. Diseases that originate in other areas of your body often are first discovered by changes in your mouth. A Malignancy . This means that the area is cancerous. There are many risk factors.
Some examples are excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, or a family history of cancer.
In some cases there are no risk factors associated with the malignancy. Your dentist can determine if your problem is related to your teeth or gums. Other dental conditions will probably be treated in the office of the dentist. If it is a cyst or tumor, you may be referred to an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon may recommend a biopsy of the area.