Mouth sores – Causes, prevention, and treatment
Mouth sores are uncomfortably painful ulcers occurring on the soft palate, gums, cheeks, tongue, and bottom of the mouth. The reason for these sores could be various health-related concerns such as stress and/or gastrointestinal diseases.

Mouth sores may also be accompanied by a burning and tingling sensation inside the mouth. Severe cases of ulcers are accompanied with swollen lymph nodes, fever, body ache, and fatigue.

The most common causes of mouth sores are biting your lips, attempting to eat hot food, and even stress. If you face tissue trauma from braces or dentures, that can also cause mouth sores and need treatment. Needless to say, mouth sores can cause discomfort while eating and drinking. If they are not severe, salt water and baking soda can be used as a home remedy for mouth sores treatment.

How many kinds of mouth sores are there that need treatment?
There are two kinds of mouth sores, which are described below:

• Simple canker sores are the kind of sores that occur three or four times in a year, and they last for up to a week. These are most common in people between the ages of 10 and 20. They usually look like pale grey circles with a red-colored outer ring. These types of sores are not contagious.
• Cold sores or complex sores can be contagious and needs effective treatment for relief. They usually occur because of stress and a weakened immune system and are highly contagious. If you have a history of sores, you are most likely to develop them.

What causes simple canker sores?

• Some medicines taken during viral infection can lead to these sores.
• Tissue trauma because of braces and other dental fixtures.
• If you are sensitive to acidic food, consuming them might cause simple canker sores.
• If your diet does not comprise of Vitamin B12, your chances of getting these sores increase.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, commonly found in mouthwashes and toothpaste, can lead to simple canker sores.

What causes complex or cold mouth sores and what is the treatment?

• Stress is one of the most likely factors to cause cold sores.
• If you have a weakened immune system, you are more likely to have cold sores.
• If you suffer from underlying health concerns such as zinc or Vitamin B12 deficiency, you are more susceptible to getting cold sores.
• If you have gastrointestinal tract diseases such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, the probability of you getting cold sores is higher.

How should you undertake mouth sores treatment?

• If the sores are not severe, the pain usually goes away in a few days.
• Gargling with salt water and applying baking soda can help with the mouth sores treatment.
• If you treat them with dental lasers, you will experience relief almost immediately.
• If you are suffering from mouth sores, for treatment, avoid food that can trigger the pain such as extremely hot, spicy, tangy, or acidic food. This will help prevent aggravation of the condition.
• In case of unusually large sores, or sores that last three weeks or longer, you should consult a doctor.
• You should also take medical advice if you are facing difficulty while drinking water because of the sores.

What steps can you take to prevent mouth sores?

• Although there is no sure-shot way to prevent mouth sores, avoiding certain kind of food products might help reduce their frequency if they have been bothering you a lot lately.
• If you avoid food that causes irritation in your mouth, you can help prevent mouth sores. Food items that contain citric acid, or extremely hot and spicy food products, are bad for mouth sores and their treatment.
• Chewing gum might also lead to sores. This happens when you chew and accidentally bite into your cheek, which causes the inner skin to tear. If you avoid chewing gum, you might be able to reduce the frequency.
• If you brush daily using a soft bristle brush and floss your teeth regularly, your chances of getting a sore reduce drastically.