Remember, that all symptoms are highly unreliable indicators of HIV, and tests are far more reliable.
OHL can occur relatively early in the course of HIV infection as one of the first symptoms a person may have.
However, it can also be seen in HIV-negative individuals (low immune system), though somewhat unlikely.


What kind of HIV test you were performed?
Have you tried to scrapped off the white lines?
Can they be easily removed?

I don not know the test... I am assuming it was the standard ELISA test...

The lines don't easily scrape off... they do seem to become less raised and fade throughout the day though... always back when I wake up usually...

When you say "can occur relatively early" what do you mean?

I know OHL is a symptom for other illnesses also, but it is strongly associated with HIV... I guess for my own peace of mind untill I can go to the dentist I am looking for any doctor on here who knows the answers to these questions:

How long does it usually take for OHL symptoms to arise after being infected with HIV? Is it at all possible to exhibit signs of OHL only 3 months or less after infection with HIV? If yes, then is it possible to exhibit signs of OHL and test negative for HIV and the same time, but still be HIV ?

Sounds like you chew on the side of your tongue like I do. I get them all the time

Maybe this will help:


Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) refers to a white patch – or white patches – that can develop in the mouth. These patches usually occur along the sides of the tongue, although they can sometimes develop on the top and underside of the tongue or along the inside of the cheek. Looking carefully at these patches, they may appear shaggy or may contain a number of tiny folds or ridges.

OHL can look like thrush, another common problem characterized by white patches that can develop in the mouths of HIV-positive people. However, thrush usually comes off when it is lightly scraped with a toothbrush, whereas OHL does not.

OHL is often one of the first opportunistic infections to occur in HIV-positive people. It can occur at any T-cell count. HIV-positive people with more than 500 T-cells have developed OHL, but it is most common among HIV-positive people with fewer than 200 T-cells. It is also important to note that OHL can occur in people with healthy immune systems, including those not infected with HIV.

It is considered to be a benign disease, meaning that it rarely causes serious physical problems and does not progress to more serious complications.

OHL is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Most people in the world are infected with EBV. Only in some people, including those with compromised immune systems, does it cause disease.

More than 25% of HIV-positive people develop OHL at some point during the course of their infection. It is most common among HIV-positive men and smokers.


How is it diagnosed?


Very often, a health-care professional can diagnose OHL simply by looking at the white patch. If there is confusion as to whether the white patch is OHL or thrush (candidiasis), a simple scrape test can be performed. Using a tongue depressor or a toothbrush, the patch can be lightly scraped. If it appears to come off with scraping, the white patch is probably thrush and not OHL.

To be sure that the white patch is OHL, a health-care provider can send a sample of the patch to a lab for analysis. The lab will look for the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to confirm a diagnosis of OHL.

~Zig

Do the white ridges surround smooth, beefy red patches and lesions on your tongue?
Do you get these white lesions like prints due to teeth pressure during sleep (you have said that these lesions are more prominent in mornings after sleep)?

Yes, they do seem to line up with my teeth when I push my tounge between my teeth..... and they are more prominent in the morning... I also have lines in both of my cheeks that are white... I have come to the conclusion that these ridges are from sucking my tongue between my teeth b/c its like one continous line all the way around my tongue and there are no fuzzy patches that dont line up with my teeth... Plus it could be impossible for OHL to show up only 2-3 months after a HIV infection so it cant be OHL due to HIV and ive tested negative at 3 months ... which i have been told is a definitive negative b/c it is outside window period...

how r u now