Mouth Sores

What are Mouth Sores and its significance?

Mouth sores or canker sores are little cuts or ulcers in the mouth and may be very red, or may have small white patches in the middle. They may bleed when seriously infected. They can be caused by radiation treatments to the head and neck area, infection, dehydration, poor mouth care, oxygen therapy, alcohol or tobacco, not enough vitamins, or lack of protein. Remedial may take four weeks. Mouth sores can be very painful and lead to dehydration, poor eating, and weight loss.

There is some kind of mouth sores that leads to the cancer of mouth. This kind of sores or ulcers forms the lining inside of your mouth or mucous membranes or on your lips. The sores appear burn-like and can be painful, making it difficult to eat, talk, swallow and breathe. Sores can appear on any of the soft tissues of your lips or your mouth, including your gums, your tongue, or the roof and floor of your mouth.

What are signs and symptoms of Mouth Sores?

The general symptoms of mouth sores shows redness, shiny and swollen part inside of the mouth. It may also bleed inside the mouth while eating or while brushing. It may cause soreness or pain in mouth or even in throat. At times you may feel dry, mild burning sensation or pain while eating hot and cold food. You may observe a white or yellow, thin film in mouth or on the tongue. Sometimes you see soft white patches or pus in the mouth with increased mucus in the mouth. You may observe small ulcers or sores in mouth, on gums or even on the tongue.

What is the treatment for Mouth Sores?

Primary treatment of mouth sore includes minimizing pain till the cells of mouth heal and begin regenerating after cancer treatment ends. Your treatment may follow as:

1. Check your mouth twice a day with the help of flashlight or padded Popsicle stick.
2. Use soft nylon bristle toothbrush while brushing your teeth. For softening of bristle you can even try keeping the brush in hot water before brushing.
3. Rinse the brush with hot water after brushing and keep it in cool and dry place. Practice brushing after every meal of the day.
4. Gently rinse your mouth with mouthwashes possibly every after a meal. Please do check that the mouthwashes do not contain any alcoholic or toxic element with it.
5. Flossing with brushing is always good practice as flossing helps in removing the plaque where brush are enable to reach. Practice flossing at least once in a day.
6. Try keeping your lips moist with petroleum jelly and drink enough quantity of liquids or fluids without alcohol or irritants in it.
7. If the pain in the mouth continues and is severe then you can take pain medicines after recommendation of your doctor.
8. Be careful with your eating habits. Avoid eating too hot and too cold food. Eat soft, non-spicy and well cooked food. Avoid eating raw vegetables, very salty or high sugar foods.
9. Avoid drinks that contain alcohol and toxic elements. Also avoid tobacco by any means.
10. If you still form sores then tell your doctor who may advice you for coating agent treatment. These medications coat the entire lining of mouth forming a film to protect the sores. It helps in minimizing the pain that you get while eating or drinking.
11. Depending upon the seriousness of the sore you may also be recommended for topical painkillers which can be directly applied to your mouth sores.
12. While the pain continues as eating you should take care of your food. Do not eat sharp, crunchy food.
13. Practice having small meals more frequently and food should be cut into small pieces.
14. Use straw for drinking liquids that can help you in keeping the liquids away from sore areas in your mouth.

When can you call a doctor?

Mouth sores when serious makes difficult in eating and drinking. You must consult doctor if you have bleeding gums. If redness, shininess or swelling continues for more than 48 hours you must ask for medical help. Also check if there is any sort of cut or sore in the mouth with whitish or yellowish patches inside the mouth or even on tongue. If there is difficulty in eating and swallowing of food and drinking fluids then call your doctor. Even medicines get irritating feeling then you should seek for medical help.

What are the preventive measures and conduct?

Even though there is no assuring way to prevent mouth sores you can always reduce the risks of developing serious sores in mouth.

Preventive measures always start with regular dental checkup. If you are conducting for cancer then consult your doctor for any unsolved gum disease, cavities or removing any of your teeth, etc. A good preventive measure is to take care of your teeth by brushing your teeth and flossing it at several intervals. Smoking is injuries to health but here you can also say smoking is injuries to health and for mouth. It makes harder for your mouth to heal faster. Eat a balanced diet that contains proper proportion of vitamins and nutrients in it. You should drink plenty of water.

Depending on seriousness and effects of your cancer and your treatment, your doctor may recommend other techniques for reducing your risk of mouth sores. They may recommend you for Cryotherapy or Cold therapy, Medications to repair mouth cells, Low-energy laser therapy, etc. These are various kinds of therapies that stimulate the growth of sore cells in the mouth.