Common causes of sores in the mouth

Mouth sores are red coloured, tiny, shallow lesions that usually develop above the soft tissue in your mouth and near the base of your gums. Although one confuses the two, cold sores are different from mouth sores. The former develop on the lips and they are contagious as well. But mouth sores develop only in the mouth and are not contagious. However, they are painful since it can get difficult for you to eat anything when suffering from mouth sores.

What are the symsptoms of mouth sores?

• Mouth sores are usually oval or round in shape.
• In the center of the lesion, it looks light yellowish or pale yellowish in color and at the edge of the lesion, it is really red.
• They appear only inside the mouth and not outside.
• The first sign of these sores is that you will have a burning or tingling sensation in the mouth for a couple of days before the lesions begin to appear.

What are the common causes of sores in the mouth?

• A very common reason for sores in mouth is biting your lips, cheek or tongue by mistake.
• Another cause for mouth sores can be eating or drinking something that is too hot.
• They might appear in case of any minor injury during dental treatments like getting dentures or braces.
• If your mouthwash or toothpaste contains harsh ingredients like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
• Eating food to which you are sensitive like nuts, spicy food, cheese, butter, etc.
• A diet that lacks iron, folic acid, zinc, Vitamin B12, etc, can also cause sores in your mouth.
• They can also be an allergic reaction to the bacteria present in the mouth.
• Emotional stress.

What is the treatment available for mouth sores?

• Usually, for mouth sores, you don’t need any treatment. They disappear when the stressors are removed.
• It will take 7 to 15 days for them to totally disappear.
• In case, you are having too much pain due to the mouth sores or too many sores in your mouth, then your doctor may prescribe mouthwash that can be really helpful.
• You will also be able to find over the counter medication for mouth sores like gel or creams and they can work wonders in treating mouth sores. These options speeden up the recovery..

Is there a specific procedure to diagnose mouth sores?

• Mouth sores do not need a specific test for diagnosis.
• Your doctor will be able to identify them with a visual inspection.
• In some cases, you may have to undergo a few tests to make sure that there is no underlying health condition that is responsible for their recurrent occurrence.
• Oral medications may be prescribed too and you need to take them as per the prescription to get relief from pain.
• You should also make changes to your diet in order to heal faster like eating food rich in zinc, iron, folic acid, Vitamin B12, etc.

Are there any home remedies for mouth sores?

• There are a number of ways to get rid of mouth sores, some of them simple home remedies.
• You can rinse your mouth with soda water or salt water. Take warm water and add one or half a tablespoon of salt or baking soda and rinse your mouth. You can repeat it twice or thrice in a day for best results.
• Milk of Magnesia is also a good choice. Dab the affected area with this and you can see the effects almost immediately.
• Any food that irritates or causes pain should be avoided like spicy or oily food.
• You can place an ice cube on the mouth sore. Leave the ice cube near the sore and let it dissolve in the mouth. It soothes the pain from the mouth sore.
• While brushing your teeth, you need to be gentle when you have mouth sores so to not aggravate them.

So, take the necessary precautions and follow these simple steps to be able to get rid of the painful sores in no time.