Stomatitis – Its Causes, Symptoms and Correct Treatment

Stomatitis or mouth sores are one of the common mouth diseases. It is a term that is used for sore or inflamed parts of mouth. Even though, stomatitis does not have dangerous effects but it does affect the patient in the most common things. The patient with mouth sores cannot properly eat or sleep. It is often painful to talk when you have stomatitis.

Where Does Stomatitis Occur?

Stomatitis can occur in soft places like lips, gums, palate or cheeks. It always occurs inside the mouth.

Types of Mouth Sore:

There are two major types of Stomatitis or mouth sore i.e. canker sore and cold sores. However, there is another type, which is referred as mouth irritation. It is usually caused by biting lips, cheek or tongue, chewing tobacco, eating or drinking too hot food items or even by braces.

Canker Sore:

Canker Sore is medically known as aphthous ulcer. The outer rim of canker sore is red whereas, the middle of the sore is yellow or pale. Usually, the patient will have one canker sore inside their mouth but sometimes, patients can suffer from a cluster as well. The common places for canker sore to occur are tongue, inside of the lips or cheeks.

Cold Sores:

They are more commonly known has fever blisters. They are filled with fluids and they are commonly found around or on the lips. Very rarely, some patients will have a cold sore on the roof of the mouth or gums. They tingle a lot and later become a scab. It is always tender, and there is always a burning sensation where the cold sores will form.

Signs and Symptoms:

Canker sore has the following symptoms.

·         They are very painful

·         They always comeback

·         They can last for five to ten days

·         The people with canker sore do not have fever.

The symptoms of cold sore are:

·         Are painful

·         Filled with fluids

·         The patient has flu like symptoms

·         Fever

·         Last up to seven or ten days

Causes of Canker Sores and Cold Sores:

Canker Sore:

The causes of canker sore are vague. The experienced Dentists in Diamond Bar say that several things contribute to the development of canker sores. Certain types of medications, poor nutrition, injury to the mouth, stress, sudden weight loss, viruses and bacteria or some types of foods can cause canker sore. These foods include citrus fruits, potatoes, chocolate, coffee and nuts.

Sometimes the immune system is weak because of some viral infection like flu or cold, hormonal change, genetic predisposition, chipped or decayed teeth and autoimmune diseases can trigger canker sores. However, they are not contagious at all. 20% US citizens have canker sores at least twice in their life and women are more prone to canker sores than men.

Cold Sores:

The general cause of canker sore is herpes simplex type 1 or injury to the mouth due to broken or chipped teeth. They are highly contagious. Most of the time, patients get cold sores before they reach adulthood. Mostly, it is confused with flu or cold. Once the sold sore takes root in the patient’s body, it will cause medical and psychological conditions like fever, stress, trauma etc. The people who suffered from cold sores recently can trigger cold sores with hormonal changes and even sunlight.

They reappear in the same place as before, and can easily spread to other parts of body such as genitals or eyes.

Treatment:

The treatment for mouth sores or Stomatitis is not needed. Usually they go away on their own in a matter of ten to twelve days. However, it is very important for you to visit some good Diamond Bardentists if your stomatitis comes back often. The dentist will prescribe you medication along with some strategies that will help you with pain relief.

You will be advised to drink more water, suck on ice cubes, rinse your mouth with salt water and use different toothpaste for the time being. If you follow the directions of your dentist, you will not have to worry about getting Stomatitis again.