A mucocele is a small, mucus-filled cyst that usually forms inside the mouth when a salivary gland duct gets blocked or injured. They are most commonly found on the lower lip, but can also occur on the tongue, cheeks, or floor of the mouth.
Common features
Soft, round, fluid-filled bump
Often bluish or transparent
Usually painless
May repeatedly burst and refill
Size can vary from a few millimeters to a couple of centimeters
Common causes include:
Lip biting or trauma
Injury to a salivary gland duct
Chronic irritation
Types
Extravasation mucocele – mucus leaks into surrounding tissue after duct injury (most common).
Retention mucocele – blockage of the salivary gland duct causes mucus buildup.
Treatment
Some small mucoceles go away on their own within a few weeks. Persistent or large ones often need treatment.
Conservative management
Avoid lip biting or irritation
Maintain oral hygiene
Do not try to pop or cut it yourself
Medical treatments
A dentist, oral surgeon, or ENT specialist may recommend:
Surgical excision — removal of the cyst and nearby minor salivary gland (most definitive)
Laser removal — less bleeding and faster healing
Cryotherapy — freezing the lesion
Marsupialization — creating a small opening to allow drainage (used for larger lesions)
If the lesion is on the floor of the mouth and larger, it may be a ranula, which sometimes needs more extensive treatment.
When to see a doctor
Get it checked if:
It lasts more than 2–3 weeks
Keeps recurring
Causes pain, speech, or swallowing difficulty
Rapidly enlarges
Bleeds or becomes hard
You are unsure if it is truly a mucocele
A doctor may occasionally biopsy the lesion to rule out other.
