Wounds In The Mouth: Causes And Treatments

Wounds in the mouth often appear from minor trauma. However, they can also be due to an infection or a systemic disease. Learn about them in this article.

Surely you have ever had or heard of sores, also called canker sores. They are wounds in the mouth that appear on the mucosa that lines the entire oral cavity -cheeks, lips, gums.

This is a very common situation. These mouth sores are very annoying and sensitive to many foods. For example, if you have one and drink orange juice or something too hot, the pain increases.

The location and shape of these lesions can be variable as well as their cause. In fact, they can be caused by something as simple as a bite or be a symptom of a more complicated systemic process. They can even be the first sign of an infection.

In this article we explain what are the main reasons for mouth wounds. We will also talk about what are the basic measures to treat them and make them heal as soon as possible.

Why do sores appear in the mouth?

Wounds in the mouth appear, for the most part, uniquely. In other words, it is usually a single whitish, rounded lesion surrounded by an inflamed area. In addition, they do not usually exceed 8 millimeters in size.

However, on some occasions the wounds in the mouth are multiple. When this happens, the sores do not usually exceed 3 millimeters. There are also cases in which these lesions are larger and unique, and their healing is more complex.

These differences in size and number are mainly due to the cause that produces them. For example, as we have already mentioned, it is normal to find a single wound due to a small bite. Other of the most frequent causes are:

• Any intervention by the dentist, especially the use of orthodontics and braces.
• Viral infections: The herpes virus is often associated with multiple, small mouth sores.
• Stress and hormonal changes: more frequent in women, since the hormonal alteration is more intense.

• Tobacco: mouth wounds can appear from a burn when smoking or even from the toxic substances that tobacco contains.
• There are many drugs that can produce them, especially those used for chemotherapy. Radiation therapy for certain cancers is also often linked.

Systemic causes

In addition to the aforementioned causes, there are numerous pathologies that can cause wounds in the mouth. First of all, we must emphasize that any nutritional deficiency can cause them. For example when there is a lack of iron or vitamins.

Behçet’s disease is a pathology characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels. It damages different organs of the body and also manifests itself with wounds in the mouth that tend to recur.

On the other hand, it is common for people with inflammatory bowel disease to experience these lesions in the mouth. The same goes for celiac disease. In addition, any pathology that causes wounds and blisters on the skin, such as pemphigus, can cause them.

How are mouth wounds treated?

Most wounds, as we have already seen, are benign. This means that they will resolve on their own and usually do not need treatment. However, if there is no obvious cause, such as trauma, and they tend to recur, it is advisable to investigate the cause.

Although it is true that there is no reason to treat them, there are certain products that accelerate healing and facilitate healing. For example, hyaluronic acid that is marketed in creams and ointments. In addition, foods that can further irritate the wound should be avoided.

On the other hand, if the cause is an infection, the ideal is to treat that pathology. The same occurs when wounds in the mouth are secondary to drugs: if they can be replaced, it is recommended to do so.