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By Mayo Clinic staffLeukoplakia usually doesn't cause permanent damage to tissues in your mouth. However, oral cancer is a potentially serious complication of leukoplakia. Oral cancers often form in the vicinity of leukoplakia patches, and the patches themselves may show cancerous changes. Even when leukoplakia patches are removed, the risk of oral cancer is still elevated.
Hairy leukoplakia, on the other hand, isn't painful and isn't likely to lead to cancer. But it may indicate the presence of HIV infection or AIDS.
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