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Cold sores and mouth ulcers |
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Cold sores and mouth ulcers are often confused because they both occur around the area of the mouth. Differences exist in appearance, causes, and specific locations. Most of the time, there is little that can be done for either one of them. They just run their course. Mouth ulcers are open sores on the tongue, gums, or inside the cheeks. They are painful and irritating. Mouth ulcers usually heal in 7 to 10 days. Stress, biting your tongue or cheek, heredity, female hormones, and food allergies are all possible causes of mouth ulcers.
TRY THESE SELF-CARE TIPS FOR TREATING MOUTH LCERS: - avoid spicy or salty foods, coffee, and citrus fruits
- apply ice to relieve the pain
- rinse your mouth with salty water or Amosan mouth wash
- apply an ulcer paint available from your pharmacy
- apply an oral paste to protect the sore, ease pain, and speed healing ( such as Kenalog in Orabase)
- use a soft-bristle toothbrush and
- when mouth ulcers continue to come back, see your doctor who may treat the mouth ulcers with prescription mouthwashes
Cold sores are tiny red blisters that are most likely to appear on your gums, outside your mouth and lips, or on your nose, or cheeks. Small blisters form, break, and ooze a clear fluid. A scab forms then sloughs off to uncover pink, healing skin. The contagious herpes simplex virus type 1 causes cold sores. The virus is passed between people in saliva or by using contaminated eating utensils, towels, and shaving tools such as razors. The sores last about a week or two and often recur in the same spot again and again. The virus lies dormant until triggered by colds, fever, fatigue, sunlight, stress, or menstruation. TRY THESE SELF-CARE TIPS FOR TREATING COLD SORES: |
