Mouth Sores in Children

Mouth sores in children are seen in the regions like the tongue or inside the cheeks. Canker sores, cold sores, candidiasis and leukoplakia are the mouth sores. Read this article to know more about the mouth sores in children, how to treat mouth sores and causes of mouth sores.
Before knowing about mouth sores treatment and causes, let us know something more about the types of mouth sores

Types of Mouth Sores in Children

The canker sores, which are one of the mouth sores can be referred to as big ulcers, which are shallow and have a red border coupled with a center which is either yellow or white in color. It is possible that some children get more than one canker sore at a particular time. Some children may experience lymph node swelling or fever at the time of developing canker sores. Though these mouth sores get healed in a few weeks, the pain associated with them can be too much. The cold sores, which are due to the herpes simplex virus are mostly located outside the mouth of children, or around their lips or on their cheeks.

Leukoplakia sores are formed due to excessive growth of cells and can lead to cancer in further stages while the Candidiasis sores are a result of fungal infections, which are caused by a yeast called Candida Albicans. Now, let us know what causes mouth sores.

Index
Canker Sores in Children

Causes
Following are the causes of mouth sores that are due to canker sores:
  • Emotional stress
  • Deficiency of vitamin B12, iron and folic acid
  • Food allergy
  • Accidental biting of lips or cheek
  • Intake of hot liquids and foods like corn fries
  • Orthodontic brackets and bands
  • Rubbing of oral tissues due to broken teeth
  • Presence of bacteria causing peptic ulcers
  • Family history of canker sores
  • Chewing tobacco causes canker sores due to harmful chemicals in tobacco
Treatment
Following are the treatments for canker mouth sores in children:
  • Prepare soft bland foods and avoid serving spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices and chocolates
  • Make use of plastic utensils
  • Acidic and rough foods should be avoided
  • Feed your child with acidophilus containing yogurt
  • Intake of cold fluids and eating popsicles is recommended by many physicians
  • Maintaining good oral hygiene
  • Using toothpastes free from sodium lauryl sulfate
Cold Sores in Children

Causes
Following are the cold mouth sores causes in children:
  • The herpes simplex viruses-HSV-1 and HSV-2 cause cold sores
  • Kissing infected persons, sharing razors or touching saliva of infected person
  • Too much exposure to bright sunrays
  • Excessive stress
  • Sickness
  • Sharing drinks with kids, having cold sores
  • Lips which are chapped cause cold sores
Treatment
Following are the treatments for cold mouth sores:
  • Have a balanced diet with foods containing lysine like chicken and beans
  • Applying moisturizer to the sore region
  • Using balm to cover the sores
  • Applying baking soda and water on the sore region in cases of young children
  • Zilactin can help to numb the sore
Leukoplakia Sores in Children

Causes
Following are the leukoplakia mouth sores causes in children:
  • Excessive cell growth
  • Broken teeth
  • Frequent chewing on the cheeks
  • Smoking and chewing tobacco
Treatments
Following are the treatments for leukoplakia mouth sores:
  • Removal of lesions causing irritants
  • Quitting the habit of smoking
  • Proper balanced diet
Candidiasis Sores in Children

Causes
Following are the candidiasis mouth sores causes in children:
  • Fungal infections from yeast called candida albicans
  • Some antibiotics treatments can cause candidiasis sores
  • Immune system disorders like cancer and AIDS
Treatments
Following are the treatments for candidiasis mouth sores:
  • Seek advice from dentist for brushing teeth
  • Have substitutes for dry mouth and saliva
  • Controlling the factors causing candidiasis
This article has covered all points related to mouth sores. Mouth sores can be controlled by maintaining a good lifestyle and seeking medical advice at the right time.
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Last Updated: 10/5/2011
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