UncategorizedMouth Ulcers and Mouth Sores: What They Are and What You Can Do About Them

Localized abnormalities or sores inside your mouth can occur for different reasons. Mouth ulcers can appear on the lips, gums, tongue or inner part of the cheeks.

They may form as ulcers or white or red patches. Doctors also refer to them as canker sores. Although they are mostly harmless, they can lead to discomfort.

Many people who have had them have reported having trouble eating, drinking, and even brushing their teeth. The ulcers vary in terms of size.

Moreover, their symptoms will depend on the underlying cause.

What Causes Mouth Ulcers?

Unlike other health conditions, mouth ulcers don’t have a definitive cause. However, numerous factors can trigger their appearance, including:

• Fungal, viral, or bacterial infections
• Accidental bites, minor or significant dental works, or sports injuries
• Lack of sleep or emotional stress
• Hard brushing of teeth
• Tubes of toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulfate
• Hormonal changes that occur when a woman is menstruating

As mentioned above, canker sores don’t have a definite cause. On the other hand, their appearance can signal the presence of an underlying medical condition, e.g.,

• Diabetes mellitus
• HIV/AIDS
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Celiac disease
• A malfunctioning immune system: this would cause the body to begin attacking the healthy cells found inside the mouth instead of warding off bacteria and other viruses.

Symptoms

The symptoms linked to canker sores vary depending on the type. According to health experts, there are only three types of mouth ulcers:

1. Minor: They are small round or oval-shaped ulcers capable of healing within seven to fourteen days. They don’t leave behind any scarring.
2. Major: These are larger and much deeper than the minor ones mentioned above. Major mouth ulcers contain irregular edges and may take upto six weeks to heal. They can lead to long-term scarring.

III. Herpetiform: They are pinpoint size ulcers that occur in groups of ten to a hundred ulcers. These ulcers are common in adults. They have irregular shapes and can heal within seven to fourteen days. They can heal without scarring.

When to See a Doctor

It’s recommended that you visit a doctor immediately you notice one or more of the following symptoms:

• Huge canker sores
• Painless sores
• Severe problems when drinking or eating
• The appearance of new sores before the previous ones have healed completely
• Diarrhoea or high fever accompanied by mouth sores

The doctor will need to perform a visual exam to diagnose the canker sores. The doctors may need to perform additional tests in some cases, especially if your sores are recurrent.

Treatment

As mentioned earlier, not all ulcers require treatment. On the other hand, if the ulcers are painful or not healing in time, you can buy hydrocortisone tablets here.

The tablets should help ease the symptoms and improve the healing time. On your visit to the doctor, they may recommend home remedies such as:

• Using baking soda or saltwater rinse
• Applying ice to the mouth ulcers
• Using topical toothpaste
• Trying home remedies such as licorice root, myrrh, and chamomile tea

You can prevent mouth ulcers from forming by avoiding foods that irritate your mouth and avoiding talking when chewing food. The latter helps prevent accidental bites.

This post has been been sponsored by High Impact Ltd