You have probably experienced on more than one occasion the discomfort of having mouth sores.
Also called canker sores or mouth ulcers, they occur on the inside of the cheeks, tongue, lips, gums or even on the roof of the mouth.
Although they are usually small, they are very uncomfortable for the person who suffers from them, since they generate pain and discomfort.
In addition, they cause difficulties in eating and speaking.
What are canker sores?
Canker sores are wounds that can appear anywhere in the oral cavity.
They are very easy to identify, not only because of the affliction they cause, but also because they are white or yellowish in color.
Although they may have some similarity with cold sores, the two conditions should not be confused.
Unlike the herpes virus, canker sores are not contagious.
Why do canker sores appear in the mouth?
Canker sores are usually caused by an oral lesion, but can also be caused by various health problems.
Even so, there are people who are more prone than others to get mouth sores, as is the case with herpes.
Because the causes of canker sores are very diverse, they can occur in both infants and adults.
It is also not uncommon to see canker sores in children of different ages.
The most common reasons for aphthous ulcers are the following:
Injury with a sharp or metallic element.
Among all the causes, this is one of the most frequent.
Ulcers due to an oral injury occur especially in people who wear orthodontics with brackets or dentures (fixed or removable).
These appliances have archwires or hooks that, if they come loose, can protrude and stick somewhere in the mouth.
Especially in the case of people with braces -whether metal, lingual or sapphire-, the use of dental wax is very advantageous.
Braces create mouth ulcers.
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BRACES CAN CAUSE CANKER SORES
Canker sores can also occur when we accidentally bite our tongue or cheek while eating.
It is advisable to avoid the habit of continually biting certain objects, such as pens, because the friction it causes also causes these mouth ulcers.
Whether we are talking about sores on the tongue or on the lip, they are very painful wounds.
Lowered defenses
A drop in our defenses can lead to the appearance of various diseases such as herpes, a virus or any infectious process (flu, tonsillitis …).
However, when canker sores appear as a consequence of this type of disease, it is advisable to take into account a series of considerations.
For example, tonsillitis is characterized by fever and sore throat, but can also lead to one or more sores.
However, it is important to know that the mouth ulcer itself does not cause fever or sore throat, but that these symptoms are due to the tonsillitis itself.
On the other hand, mouth sores can also appear during periods of hormonal changes (such as during menstruation in women) or when we have stress or lack of sleep.
Sores are small wounds of the buccal mucosa whose origin can be due to different factors
Weakened immune system
A weak immune system can also cause mouth sores or canker sores, as well as other types of problems of different kinds and nature.
In this case, we should distinguish between two different cases of immunosuppression
Temporary situation
Chronic, as occurs in people who have had a transplant.
Autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune pathologies are generated by the body’s own immune system, which, due to an abnormality, attacks healthy cells.
Examples of these are pemphigus or lupus, which in addition to causing various problems to those who suffer from them, can cause sores or ulcers in the mouth.
Mouth sore
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MOUTH ULCERS
Extreme deficiency of vitamins B and C
Diet has a direct impact on general health and oral health in particular.
The consequences that a deficient diet -which does not include healthy and balanced food- has on our body can be very serious: diabetes, obesity, anemia, hypertension…
But in addition, the lack of nutrients and especially an extreme deficiency of vitamins B and C can lead to the appearance of ulcers in the mouth.
As a general rule, a person who maintains a relatively healthy diet should not reach this circumstance.
Even so, our recommendation is that you consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals, for the benefits they bring to your oral and general health.
Go to the pharmacy
Canker sores do not need treatment and usually heal on their own after a few days, but certain products accelerate their healing.
How to cure canker sores in the mouth?
First of all, it is important to note that mouth sores do not require treatment.
When you have them, it is simply necessary to have a little patience, as they disappear on their own with the passage of days.
Therefore, canker sore healing is a spontaneous process that involves the regeneration of the tissue in the affected area.
However, it is true that there are specific products that can be purchased in pharmacies and make the healing process more bearable.
These drugs serve to alleviate the discomfort caused by the wound and accelerate the healing process.
They are often marketed in the form of creams or ointments containing components such as hyaluronic acid.
These sore medications can be an effective solution to reduce discomfort and pain.
Their function is to create a small protective film that insulates the affected area from possible friction and contact.
How long do mouth sores last?
Naturally, that is, without the use of a specific product to protect the affected area, sores take between three and five days to heal.
However, this process can take up to a week.
On the other hand, if we use the aforementioned products that can be purchased in pharmacies, it is possible that the healing process can be shortened to two or three days.
The healing process of sores is usually slower than other wounds.
This is because they occur in the mouth, i.e., a moist area that hinders this healing process.
There are products to accelerate healing.
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MOUTH SORES LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS
Precisely because of the complexity of the affected tissue, it is advisable to follow some recommendations:
Eat soft foods while you have the sore.
As far as possible, do not eat acidic or spicy foods.
Be careful not to pass your tongue.
Avoid contact with your teeth in the canker sore area.
Home remedies for canker sores, do they exist?
Re-emphasizing what was previously explained, canker sores do not require treatment.
Therefore, if you have a canker sore that is bothering you, you have two options: either wait for the wound to close spontaneously or use specific products purchased in pharmacies.
Precisely because there is no treatment that removes ulcers, numerous tips and home remedies have proliferated on this subject.
Therefore, at this point it is important to note that there are no useful home remedies to cure mouth sores.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND WE WILL CHECK YOUR ORAL HEALTH.
The widespread belief states that certain products that we can find at home, such as baking soda or hydrogen peroxide, accelerate healing.
But nothing could be further from the truth: not only are they ineffective, but they are also extremely harmful to the mouth.
Hydrogen peroxide can cause burns and worsen the condition of the sore, complicating the healing process.
Now you know how to remove mouth sores and the different reasons why they appear.
Our recommendation is that you act as soon as you begin to notice the pain or discomfort they cause and buy a specific product at the pharmacy.
The smaller the wound, the easier the healing process will be and the less discomfort it will cause.
If, on the other hand, you notice that the sore does not go away as the days go by, we advise you to visit your trusted dentist.
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