Men over 40 will be at a higher risk for various diseases, leukoplakia being just one of these. This condition is a common disease that involves irritation on the "floor" of the mouth and tongue, usually indicated by white patches or spots. The causes of leukoplakia are still unknown, and also unknown is whether the condition is pre-cancerous. The symptoms may disappear in a few days without any treatment, but it is important to find the source of irritation so it can be avoided, as recurrence is common for leukoplakia.

There are no special symptoms of leukoplakia except for white or gray-white patches inside the cheeks or gums,  on the tongue, lips or under the tongue. Patches may differ from person to person in terms of size and severity. Individual sufferers should find out their own sources of irritation according to their own state of illness. It is widely believed that leukoplakia is related to chewing tobacco, exposure of the lips to sunshine, and mouthwash or toothpaste containing sanguinarine. Leukoplakia rarely develops into oral cancer; normally, it is benign.

Some kinds of <a" href="href" leukoplakia are due to fungal infections. If this is the case, antifungal medicine should be taken. If the white patches are caused by irritations, as most are, they will disappear within several weeks as long as you get rid of the source of irritation. To get rid of the condition completely and to avoid it from reoccurring, an exam should be taken periodically. If the patches become inflamed, you might feel ongoing discomfort. However, you can still follow the suggestions below to prevent leukoplakia.