I occasionally get painful sores on the inside of my mouth. What are they and how are they treated?
While there can be many types of sores inside of your mouth, the most common one is the canker sore, or aphthous ulcer. It is red in color and has a whitish or grey base, and is typically very painful, lasting from 1-2 weeks. There can be one or several that appear at a time, and they often recur at varying frequencies. The exact cause is unknown, but many leading researchers believe the cause is immune related. Fatigue, stress, hormones, certain foods, and tissue damage are some of the known triggers. They typically heal on their own in a few weeks, and most of the existing treatments are palliative. Particularly painful sores can be cauterized in the dental office with a topical treatment which helps to speed healing. More severe cases can be treated with systemic steroids, often prescribed by your dentist. Over the counter topical anesthetics can dull the pain, and antibacterial rinses can help prevent bacterial infection of the open wound.
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