Stomatitis

Stomatitis, a general term for an inflamed and sore mouth, can disrupt a person's ability to eat, talk, and sleep. Stomatitis can occur anywhere in the mouth, including the inside of the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, and palate.

Types of Stomatitis

Types of stomatitis include:

  • 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 type of mouth infection
  • Having hypersensitivity to certain things, such as foods or medicines
    • Having 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 chemotherapy, antibiotics, medications used for rheumatoid arthritis, or epilepsy medications
  • Receiving radiation as part of cancer treatment

Symptoms of Stomatitis: Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Canker sores:

  • Can be painful
  • Usually last 5 to 10 days
  • Tend to come back
  • Are generally not associated with fever

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Cold sores:

  • Are usually painful
  • Are usually gone in 7 to 10 days
  • Are sometimes associated with cold or flu-like symptoms

Causes of Stomatitis: Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Canker Sores

Nobody knows what exactly causes canker sores, but many things 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, 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.

Treatment for Common Forms of Stomatitis

Mouth sores generally don't last longer than two weeks, even without treatment. If a cause can be identified, your doctor may be able to treat it. If a cause cannot be identified, the focus of treatment shifts to symptom relief.

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The following strategies might help to ease the pain and inflammation of mouth sores:

  • Avoid hot beverages and foods as well as salty, spicy, and citrus-based foods.
  • Use pain relievers like Tylenol or ibuprofen.
  • Gargle with cool water or suck on ice pops if you have a mouth burn.

  • For canker sores, the aim of treatment is to relieve discomfort and guard against infection. Try the following:

    • Read more on: oral health, guide