There are a variety of different mouth ulcers that can occur in people. They range from the annoying whitish lesion that forms on the outside of the mouth to severe sores that erupt and start to eat away at the inside of your mouth. If they aren’t treated properly, the ulcer can spread and cause the tissues to die, which leads to significant damage to the person’s immune system. This kind of damage can lead to serious complications and even infection. It’s important that people with mouth ulcers get proper treatment.
Mouth ulcers can be caused by a variety of different things. But, there is no specific cause behind them. But, some common causes and contributing factors have been identified. These include: trauma to the tissue or enamel of the teeth, rough brushing, sustained trauma to the mucous membrane that lines the inside of the mouth, sports injuries, or other accidental bite caused by the tongue or gums moving downward during speech.
The good news is that some of these causes are treatable while others are not. If you have one of the less serious causes, you can generally get some relief within a week or two. In most cases, the first treatment is simply to rub some ice on the area. You can do this as often as you need to reduce pain and promote healing.
In more serious cases of mouth ulcers, your doctor might want to use a laser to cut through the ulcerations and sores. He will be able to do this without making any incisions into your mucosa. A laser is used to kill the bacteria that are responsible for causing the sores. Although the laser cuts directly through the tissue, it also has the ability to encourage new cell growth within the area. This can reduce pain, heal more quickly, and prevent further tissue damage.
Trauma is one of the leading causes of mouth ulcers. If you have suffered trauma to your face or head, you are very likely to develop these ulcers as a result of the trauma. Most people who experience facial trauma tend to develop a cold sore in the corner of their mouth. These cold sores are actually infection within the mucosa. If you have continued exposure to trauma including the development of these sores, your immune system will react by producing more mucus, increasing the risk of a full-blown mouth ulcer.
Some people develop what are called canker sores, which are very painful. Unlike cold sores, which heal within one day, canker sores take several weeks to heal. Fortunately, there are several ways to treat these sores. By attacking the problem at the source, your doctor can help you stop the constant irritation caused by your skin and can help to heal within one or two weeks.
Another common cause of mouth ulcers is trauma to the teeth. If you suffer a hit to your teeth and then need to chew your food, you may suffer from inflammation throughout your face. The area can become very painful and irritated, especially if you continue to bruise the gums. Antibiotics will often help to reduce this inflammation, but some people need stronger medication. If the problem is bad enough, surgery may be the only solution.
If you suspect that you have a common cause of mouth ulcers, such as trauma to the face or gums, you should call 911 immediately. A rapid response team will be sent to the scene and will start treatment right away. It is important to catch the problem as soon as possible, before the ulcers spread to other areas of the body. If you don’t catch it in time, you could have ongoing problems and open wounds that will only get worse. Call 911 for emergency assistance if you have extreme pain or cannot chew your food due to your ulcers.