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"   Question The skin on the inside of my mouth is peeling away. It does not cause me any pain, but I am anxious to find out what it is.  I find this mostly occurs first thing in the morning, but I can feel it coming away during the day also.  I am a fairly heavy smoker of approximately 20 a day and my diet is not the healthiest.  I have been told this may be due to malnutrition, but I am more worried that it relates to my smoking.    Answer The lining of the mouth, the oral mucosa, is an area of the mouth that can be neglected professionally, the GP leaving it to the dentist and the dentist leaving it to the GP.  Without seeing the lesion, it is impossible to give more than a general overview.  Smoking is a recognised cause of oral keratoses, formerly included under the heading leukoplakia (white patches).  These are harmless and might lead to shedding of the surface layer as you describe.  However, it is important to distinguish this change from less harmless causes such as infections like thrush (candidiasis), conditions such as lichen planus occuring spontaneously or as a result of medication and, significantly, malignant conditions such as leukoplakia and cancer.  It would be wise to ask your GP if a specialist opinion would be appropriate.  You are quite correct in being worried about smoking 20 a day.  Although heart disease and lung cancer are the most commonly discussed problems associated with smoking, it is clearly linked to other malignant diseases, including oral cancers.  This is especially likely to become a problem with the promotion of chewed tobacco products.  Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team  Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As Any treatment for aging skin? A patch of skin that lost its pigment Cold sores Dark patches on my top and cheeks Faint red veins on my face How can I get rid of the blotches on my face? I am blushing more than usual I can&amp;#039;t grow a moustache I have a constant burning sensation on my lips \u2013 what should I do? Information about Jessner&amp;#039;s lymphocytic infiltrate I&amp;#039;ve got a dent in my chin after squeezing my spots I&amp;#039;ve got freckles on my lips Laser treatment for face tattoos Lichen planus of the mouth Minor infection in the face My mouth sores are so painful My face is always red My shaving doesn&amp;#039;t have any effect New treatment for Jessner&amp;#039;s? Our baby is tongue tied Papilloma on my tongue Punch in the face has given me a clot Red face Slapped cheek disease Smoker&amp;#039;s skin Swollen lips What is slapped cheek syndrome? White layer on my tongue White spots on the back of my tonsils Why do I have this skin problem?  Last updated 12.03.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ask-the-expert/skin-and-hair/a3227/the-inside-of-my-mouth-is-peeling/>