What Causes Canker Sores?
Although various studies have been conducted to determine the cause of canker sores, which are usually seen in the mouth on the tongue, inner cheeks, gums, and palate, and sometimes on the lips, a definitive cause has not been identified to date. However, some identified reasons can be listed as follows:
- Systemic disorders (Behcet’s disease, Crohn’s disease, etc.),
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies (vitamin B, zinc, etc.),
- Psychological reasons (stress, etc.),
- Premenstrual period in women,
- Intraoral traumas (biting, impact, etc.),
- Intraoral operations,
- Certain food substances (salty, acidic, spicy),
- Allergic reactions,
- Smoking…
What to do when canker sores occur?
Canker sores last about a week and can cause regional pain during this period. Foods entering the mouth through nutrition cause this pain to increase. Since canker sores do not have any specific cause, there is no risk of spreading from the sore to healthy tissue. However, if canker sores open, many bacteria that may be present in the mouth can cause these canker sores to become infected wounds. During this process, consuming salty, spicy, and acidic foods can cause canker sores to open and become infected. Therefore, attention should be paid to nutrition.
Mouth sores are serious matters. While some mouth sores appear for no apparent reason, some sores may occur secondarily under the influence of another disease. If you frequently have intraoral sores and they take a long time to heal, you should consult a doctor.
What Causes Cold Sores?
Cold sores, which are more painful and infectious than canker sores, are virus-related formations. These painful, fluid-filled blisters that can appear inside and outside the mouth, and even in other areas of the face, are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus. After this virus enters a person’s body and causes a cold sore, it can remain in the body even if the cold sore is treated. When the body’s resistance decreases, this insidiously waiting virus becomes active and forms a new cold sore. It usually tends to appear in the same place. Other contributing factors in the formation of cold sores, which tend to recur as a result of decreased resistance, are sunlight and hormonal imbalances.
What to do when cold sores occur?
Cold sores are a disease that can spread very quickly compared to canker sores and is contagious to other people. There are 3 different stages of a cold sore that can be listed as onset, development, and discharge of infection. The period when the risk of transmission is highest is the period after the sore has burst. It is necessary to ensure that personal belongings of a person with a cold sore, especially those that come into contact with the cold sore area, are not used by healthy individuals. No matter where a cold sore starts, the person needs to protect themselves as well as others. Cold sores that start in the mouth can be transmitted to other areas by the person themselves.
It is very important not to scratch a lesion once it has started. The infectious agent can easily be transmitted by hand into the nose and even to the mucous membrane of the genital area. Behaviors such as squeezing or playing with the cold sore are quite wrong. It is very important for a person with a cold sore to wash their hands frequently with plenty of soapy water for the treatment of the disease and the prevention of new cold sore formation. Antiviral creams or oral medications are recommended by the doctor for treatment.
What is Thrush, How Does it Occur, What Should Be Done for Treatment?
Thrush is white lesions in the baby’s tongue, palate, and inner cheeks that resemble milk curds. It is caused by a type of fungus called ‘Candida infection’. Thrush is most common in newborns but can sometimes be seen in older babies. It first starts as white spots. Then it covers the entire tongue and inside of the mouth. If the lesion on the tongue is scraped, the skin underneath looks burned and may bleed, and a superficial, oozing ulcer appears. Thrush causes pain and prevents the baby from feeding. A healthy baby can usually overcome the disease on its own. Cleaning the mother’s breasts and all feeding tools is very important in eliminating this discomfort. In addition, the stained areas in the child’s mouth can be gently wiped with a clean cloth. If thrush has spread over a large area, a doctor must be consulted.
What are the Causes of Oral Cancers?
Oral cancers mostly occur in people over the age of 45, and the probability of occurrence in men is 2 times higher than in women. The areas where it is frequently seen are; tongue, floor of the mouth, soft palate areas near the root of the tongue, lips, and gums.
The exact cause of oral cancers is not fully known. However, it is known that factors such as tobacco products, alcohol, carcinogens in some foods, and excessive exposure to sunlight, especially in extraoral areas (such as the lips), increase the risk of cancer. Genetic predisposition is also among the risk factors for oral cancers.
What are the Symptoms of Oral Cancers?
- White or red colored areas in or around the mouth,
- Sensitive, irritated, raised, or thickened areas in the mouth,
- Recurrent bleeding in the mouth or throat,
- Hoarseness in the voice or a feeling of something stuck in the throat that cannot be swallowed,
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Difficulty chewing and swallowing,
- Difficulty moving the tongue and jaw,
- Loss of sensation, numbness in the tongue or other areas of the mouth,
- Swelling in the lower or upper jaw and consequent deterioration of existing denture fit…
Oral cancer lesions are painless in the early stages and can therefore be neglected. If oral cancers are not diagnosed and treated in the early stages, they can spread, causing constant pain, loss of function, facial and oral deformities that cannot be corrected after treatment, and even death. Regular visits to the dentist are also important for the early detection of oral cancers.
Is it Possible to Reduce the Risk of Oral Cancer?
The risk of oral cancer can be reduced by taking some precautions. These precautions:
- Do not use tobacco products such as cigarettes and pipes, do not chew tobacco.
- If you consume alcohol, do not overdo it. (The risk of oral cancer is 15 times higher in people who use both alcohol and tobacco products compared to those who do not use alcohol and tobacco products.)
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. (Studies suggest that this type of diet may reduce the risk of oral cancer)
- Do not neglect to visit the dentist regularly.