Mouth Ulcers

Various types of sores can appear anywhere inside the mouth, including the inner cheeks, gums, tongue, lips or palate.
Common Causes

Most mouth sores are cold sores (also called fever blisters), canker sores or other irritation caused by:

* Biting your cheek, tongue or lips
* Chewing snuff
* Braces
• A sharp or broken tooth or poorly fitting dentures
* Burning your mouth from hot food or drinks

Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus is highly contagious. Before the actual sore appears, usually have tenderness, tingling or burning. Herpes sores begin as blisters and then crust over.

The herpes virus can reside in your body for years, appearing as a mouth sore only when something provokes it. These circumstances may include another illness, especially if a fever, stress, hormonal changes (such as menstruation), and sun exposure.

Canker sores are NOT contagious and can appear as a single pale or yellow ulcer with a red outer or as groups of these lesions. The cause of canker sores is not entirely clear but may be related to:

* A virus
* A temporary weakness in the immune system (eg cold or flu)
* Hormonal changes
* Mechanical irritation
* Stress
* Low levels of vitamin B12 or folic acid

For unknown reasons, the canker appears to occur more frequently in women than in men, which may be related to hormonal changes.

Less commonly, mouth sores can be a sign of an underlying disease, a tumor or a reaction to a medication. These potential diseases can be grouped into several broad categories:

* Infection (such as HFMD Hand, foot and mouth)
* Autoimmune diseases (including lupus)
* Bleeding disorders
* Malignancy (cancer)
* Immunosuppression (that is, when the immune system is weakened, for example, if you have AIDS or are receiving medication after a transplant).

Drugs that might cause mouth sores include chemotherapeutic agents for cancer, aspirin, barbiturates (used for insomnia), gold (used for rheumatoid arthritis), penicillin, phenytoin (used for seizures), streptomycin, or sulfonamides.
Home Care

Cold sores usually last from 7 to 10 days, even if the person does nothing to end them. They sometimes last up to 6 weeks. The following steps can make a person feel better:

* Gargle with cool water or eat popsicles, which is helpful if you feel burning in the mouth.
* Avoid foods or drinks hot, salty or spicy foods and citrus fruits.
* Take pain relievers like acetaminophen (paracetamol).

For canker sores:

* Rinse with salt water.
* Apply a thin paste of baking soda and water.
* Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide) with 1 part water and apply this mixture to the lesions using a cotton swab.

Nonprescription preparations, like Orabase, can protect a sore is inside the lips and gums. The Blistex or Campho-Phenique may provide some relief of canker sores and fever, especially if applied when the sore initially appears.

Additional steps that may help cold sores or fever blisters:

* Apply ice to the injury
* Taking L-lysine

Your doctor may recommend antiviral drugs for herpes lesions in the mouth. Some experts say that these antivirals shorten the time that the blisters remain in the mouth, while others claim that these drugs make no difference.
Call your doctor if

Call your doctor if:

* The sore begins soon after starting a new drug
* The large white patches on the palate or tongue (may be thrush or another type of injury)
* The mouth sore lasts longer than 2 weeks
* You are immunocompromised (eg HIV or cancer)
* You have other symptoms like fever, skin rash, drooling or difficulty swallowing

What to Expect at Your Office

The doctor will perform a physical examination, focusing on the mouth and tongue. The medical history questions may include:

* Are the sores on the lips, gums, tongue, inner cheeks, or elsewhere?
* Are open sores?
* Are there large, white patches on the palate or tongue?
* How long have you had cold sores? More than two weeks?
* Have you had sores of this type before?
* What medications are you taking?
* Do you have other symptoms like fever, sore throat or bad breath?

Treatment may depend on the underlying cause of the cold sore.

You can use a topical anesthetic (applied to a localized area of the skin) such as lidocaine or xylocaine to relieve pain but should be avoided in children.

He may prescribe an antifungal medication for oral thrush (a yeast infection).

He may prescribe an antiviral medicine for herpes lesions (although some think that this does not shorten the time that the lesions are present).

Antibiotics may be prescribed for severe or persistent canker sores.
Prevention

You can reduce your chance of getting common mouth sores:

* Reducing stress and practicing relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.
* Avoiding very hot foods and drinks.

Mechanical irritation can be avoided:

* Visiting your dentist immediately if you have sharp or broken teeth or dentures well.
* Chewing slowly.
* Using a toothbrush with soft bristles.

If you often get canker sores often, talk to your doctor about taking folate and vitamin B12 to prevent outbreaks.

If you often get cold sores, we recommend taking L-lysine tablets or increasing lysine in your diet (found in fish, chicken, eggs and potatoes), which can help reduce outbreaks . DO NOT use L-lysine if you have cholesterol or high triglycerides or heart disease.

To prevent spread of herpes sores, do not kiss or have oral sex with someone who has cold sores or fever blisters. Do not participate in these activities when you have active cold sore. It Do not share razors, lip balm, toothbrushes, or lipsticks.

To prevent cancerous mouth lesions is recommended:

• Do not smoke or use snuff.
• Limit alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks per day.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect your lips from the sun and wear all the time a lip balm with a sun protection factor of 15.

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