Stomatitis
Stomatitis, a non-specific term for an inflamed and sore mouth, can disrupt a person's ability to eat, talk, or sleep. Stomatitis can occur anywhere within the mouth, including the inside of the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, and palate.
Types of Stomatitis
The following are some common examples of stomatitis:
Canker sore or aphthous ulcer. A single pale or yellow ulcer with a red outer ring or a cluster of such ulcers in the mouth, usually on the cheeks, tongue, or inside the lip.
Cold sores , also known as "fever blisters." These are blisters filled with fluid that are commonly found on the lips, and rarely on the gums or the roof of the mouth. They later crust over with a scab and are usually associated with tingling, tenderness, or burning before the actual sores appear on or around the lips.
Mouth irritation. The irritation can be caused by:
- Biting your cheek, tongue, or lip.
- Wearing braces or another type of dental apparatus, or having a sharp, broken tooth.
- Chewing tobacco.
- Burning one's mouth from hot food or drinks.
- Having gum disease (gingivitis) or other mouth infection.
- Having hypersensitivities to certain agents, such as foods or medicines.
- Being afflicted with certain autoimmune diseases affecting the mucosal lining of the mouth, such as lupus, Crohn's disease, or Behcet's disease.
- Taking certain drugs such as chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotics, medications used for rheumatoid arthritis, or epilepsy medications.
- Receiving radiation received as part of cancer treatment.
Symptoms of Stomatitis
Here are symptoms of two common forms of stomatitis:
- sores can be painful
- usually last 5 to 10 days
- tend to recur
- generally not associated with fever
Cold sores or "fever blisters":
- usually painful
- usually gone in 7 to 10 days
- sometimes associated with cold or flu-like symptoms
Causes of Stomatitis
Here are causes of two common forms of stomatitis:
Canker sores
Nobody knows what exactly causes canker sores, but many factors may contribute to their development, such as certain medications, trauma to the mouth, poor nutrition, stress, bacteria or viruses, lack of sleep, sudden weight loss, and certain foods such as potatoes, citrus fruits, coffee, chocolate, cheese, and nuts.
Canker sores may also be related to a temporarily reduced immune system because of a cold or flu, hormonal changes, mechanical irritation, or low levels of vitamin B12 or folate. Even biting the inside of the cheek or chewing a sharp piece of food can trigger a canker sore.
Canker sores may result from a genetic predisposition and are considered an autoimmune disease; they are not contagious.
About 20% people in the U.S. will have canker sores at some point during their lifetime -- women more often than men.
Cold sores or fever blisters:
Fever blisters are contagious as they are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1. The initial infection often occurs before adulthood and may be confused with a cold or the flu. Once the person is infected with the virus, it stays in the body, becoming dormant and reactivated by such conditions as stress, fever, trauma, hormonal changes (such as menstruation), and exposure to sunlight.
When lesions reappear, they tend to form in the same location. Unlike canker sores, cold sores are contagious from the time the blister ruptures to the time it has completely healed. In addition to spreading to other people, the virus can also spread to another body part of the affected person, such as eyes or genitalia.
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Only 18.5% of Americans never floss. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it turns to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Try flossing just one tooth to get started.
You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for 3 more days!
You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily, but you're well on your way to making a positive impact on your teeth and gums. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for all 7 days!
Only 50.5% of Americans floss daily, and good for you that you are one of them! Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Congratulations on your good oral health habit!
SOURCES:
American Dental Association, Healthy People 2010
This tool is intended only for adults 18 and older.
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