Any disease that occurs in the oral cavity causes discomfort and affects the quality of everyday life. If there is an ulcer on the cheek in the mouth, a person may experience a number of difficulties, because during this period it is painful to chew, smile and even just talk. This is a very unpleasant problem that each of us has encountered. How to treat a mouth ulcer on the cheek and what are the causes of its appearance? The reader will find all his questions in this article.
What is it and what does it look like?
For ethical reasons, we will not post photos of mouth ulcers on the cheeks. Usually this sore white or red appears on the inside of the cheek. Similar wounds can occur on the gums. Ulceration interferes with normal eating, brushing teeth, smiling, drinking tea and performing other actions familiar to all of us. Surely everyone had an ulcer on her cheek, but only a few manage to avoid repeated encounters with her. To get rid of this problem and prevent its reappearance, it is first necessary to determine what caused it.
What kind of disease can an ulcer in the mouth say?
Every fifth person is susceptible to the appearance of various wounds inside the oral cavity. It is impossible to say unequivocally about the causes of an ulcer on the cheeks in the mouth: it can form as a result of trauma to the mucous membrane or be a symptom of an internal pathology. If you quickly begin to treat an ulcer that has arisen due to mechanical damage, no complications will arise. In the case of a systemic disease, against the background of which the abscess appeared, the patient may have to undergo a medical examination and begin complex treatment.
So, various pathologies are capable of causing an ulcer in the mouth on the cheek. Most often, this is aphthous stomatitis, which occurs as a result of a weakening bacterial infection against a background of weakened immunity. In addition to aphthous stomatitis, ulcers manifest herpetiform stomatitis caused by the herpes virus, and a more dangerous ailment is acute necrotic gingivostomatitis. The aftas of Bednar and Setton also look similar, representing white wounds without a clear outline.
Syphilis can cause mouth ulcers. In the photo, the appearance of the wounds in this disease is fundamentally different from aphthous stomatitis or other pathologies. Ulcers have a bright red color and a clear border. They are completely painless and may not feel sick at all. Also, tuberculosis bacillus can provoke the appearance of pustules in the oral cavity. In this case, ulcers occur not only on the cheek, but also on the tongue, under it. Both syphilis and tuberculosis are accompanied by other characteristic symptoms. Against the background of these diseases, the general state of health suffers significantly.
Aphthae (red ulcers) sometimes appear due to a malfunction in the endocrine system, a deficiency of vitamins, a weakened immune system or a viral infection.
Provocative factors
In most cases, a white mouth ulcer appears on the cheek. Often it is caused by overwork or hypothermia. An ulcer sometimes occurs at the site of mucosal damage (for example, after a bite, careless use of a toothbrush, dental instruments, use of drugs, acids, alkalis that can cause a chemical burn).
Other probable causes include problems with the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. Aphthae on the inner surface of the cheeks occur as one of the consequences of a course of chemotherapy, taking medications that interfere with the production of saliva, especially diuretics. Mouth ulcers in an adult or child may indicate an allergic reaction to a product. Most often these are citrus fruits, dairy products, eggs, honey, chocolate and other allergens.
If there is a wound in the mouth for no apparent reason, you should pay attention to the toothpaste used: if sodium lauryl sulfate is present in its composition, it is likely that this component provoked the occurrence of aphthae. This chemical component dries the mucous membrane and violates the natural microflora of the oral cavity, that is, it kills local immunity.
Ulcers on the inner surface of the cheek are the result of hormonal changes in the body of women, so they can appear during pregnancy or during menopause. Some people have a genetic predisposition to aphthous stomatitis, which manifests itself in the case of dehydration, alcohol abuse and smoking.
Classification of oral ulcers
The treatment depends on how the wound looks and what caused its appearance. A photo of mouth ulcers allows us to make an assumption about what could provoke their occurrence. Ulcerations can be distinguished by two main characteristics - color and localization.
Judging by the photo, mouth ulcers are white and red. In the first case, the shade of the wound can vary from milky to light beige. White sores are conventionally divided into two categories - leukoplakia and candidiasis. In the first case, the cheeks, gums and tongue are more often affected. The cause of leukoplakia is excessive cell growth. Oral leukoplakia is considered a precancerous stage. Smokers are most likely to have this disease.
Candida ulcers are a manifestation of thrush, a fungal disease. White sores in the mouth are completely painless. As a rule, they pass quickly. Mouth sores in a child are much more common. In adults, oral candidiasis develops against the background of acquired immunodeficiency or wearing dentures. Sometimes white sores occur after a course of antibacterial therapy.
Red wounds are light, pale pink or have a bright saturated color. Unlike white ones, red ulcers hurt a lot, cause a lot of discomfort and trouble. Their base and edging are bright red. Often such ulcers bleed when touched or mechanically in contact with food. Red sores can heal within a few weeks. These are herpetiform lesions of the mucosa, and manifestations of syphilis, and aphthous stomatitis. Red ulcers are often localized over the entire surface of the mucosa.
Diagnosis of possible diseases
Before proceeding with the treatment of this unpleasant phenomenon, it is necessary to understand its causes. Various factors can provoke the appearance of ulcers in the oral cavity, which means that the treatment is selected individually.
First of all, the doctor makes an examination. Depending on the symptoms that accompany the disease, a specialist may prescribe an additional examination. To do this, you need to pass general tests of urine and blood, as well as a study for the polymerase chain reaction, which will exclude or confirm the infectious nature of the disease. An ulcer in the cheek in the form of an abscess may be an abscess that requires surgical intervention. That is why when a wound appears in the oral cavity, you need to go to the doctor, and not self-medicate.
How to treat mouth ulcers
Depending on the cause of the ulcer, an individual therapeutic program is selected. So, for example, with white wounds on the background of thrush in the mouth, adult patients are shown taking antifungal drugs in tablets:
- "Clotrimazole."
- Amphotericin.
- "Miconazole."
- "Nystatin."
- "Natamycin."
- Levorin.
Rinsing with a soda solution will also be useful, which will create microflora unfavorable for fungi. For the treatment of ulcers, iodine-based preparations can be used. For example, a solution of Lugol, which is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 2 or 1: 3.
If mouth ulcers are a symptom of herpes, you can not do without taking antiviral agents. The most effective against this type of infection is considered to be acyclovir, which is available in tablets under such trade names as “Herperax”, “Famciclovir”, “Valacyclovir”, “Virolex”. To accelerate the healing of affected areas of the mucosa, antiseptic agents, herbal decoctions should be used.
For the treatment of aphthous stomatitis, glucocorticoids and vitamin-mineral complexes containing vitamins B1, C, B12, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium are used. In order to strengthen the immune system, immunomodulating drugs are prescribed. If a bacterial infection joins the aphthous ulcers, local antimicrobials for irrigation of the oral cavity are prescribed (Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, Furacilin for rinsing). In the case of a severe course of the disease, broad-spectrum antibiotics are also prescribed (Amoxicillin, Clindamycin, Linkomycin).
Simple Home Therapy
Treatment of mouth ulcers on the cheek can be done at home. If for some reason it is not possible to visit a doctor, you can use folk remedies. They are completely harmless and safe, suitable for the treatment of the oral cavity, regardless of the type of disease.
The most common option is to rinse with saline. Such a tool produces a disinfecting effect and does not allow the growth of bacteria. For one glass of warm water, you need to take one teaspoon of salt. In this case, it is necessary to rinse the oral cavity before eating and after eating. A few drops of iodine can be added to the saline solution.
You can rinse your mouth with a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide, for the preparation of which they take 1 part of the peroxide and the same amount of water. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times a day.
Some traditional medicine advocates recommend the use of lemon. To treat ulcers in the mouth, squeeze juice from citrus on the cheek, mix with one teaspoon of honey and add a pinch of soda. The resulting mixture is applied directly to the wound and held for several minutes, after which rinse your mouth with boiled water.
By the way, for rinsing, you can use decoctions of thyme, chamomile, eucalyptus, oak bark. Due to the tannins contained in these plants, tissue regeneration processes are launched. Olive oil has a similar effect if you lubricate an ulcer several times during the day.
How to make you feel better with a mouth ulcer
To reduce discomfort, you must:
- Refuse carbonated, sour drinks.
- Drink cool water in small sips, often put ice cubes on the sore.
- For severe pain, use local anesthetics based on lidocaine (for example, Kalgel).
- Continue to care for your oral cavity, brush your teeth.
- Follow a diet: less salty, fatty, fried. In addition, the food consumed should be of moderate temperature.
- Do not self-medicate and do not establish a diagnosis by the photo of sores on the cheek, but visit the dentist.
If the mouth ulcer does not go away for a month or more, a malignant tumor should be excluded first.
What are the features of treatment in children
Mouth ulcers in a child are treated differently, not like in adults. The children's body is more sensitive to the action of drugs. In addition, many drugs that are used to treat stomatitis have age restrictions and are contraindicated in childhood.
The most common cause of ulceration in a child's mouth is mucosal damage. Kids, knowing the world around them, often pull various objects into their mouths. All microbes that enter the child’s body with dirty hands carry a potential threat. The immune system of babies is not strong enough to be resistant to certain types of infection.
Antiseptic aerosols can treat ulcers on the cheeks of a child. If the baby knows how to rinse his mouth, apply decoctions from a series of sages, plantain. In order to prevent the recurrence of ulcers, it is necessary to regularly work on strengthening immunity. For this purpose, doctors prescribe such drugs as Immunoflazid, Immunal, Imudon. If the ulcers have spread to the gums and throat, you can make lotions with a decoction of medicinal chamomile. With thrush, wounds are treated with a weak soda solution in which a tampon or gauze dressing is moistened.
Preventive measures
In order to prevent the appearance of ulcers in the oral cavity, it is necessary to monitor the state of immunity and observe the rules of personal hygiene. To prevent the occurrence of painful ulcers is quite simple. All you need is:
- Annually undergo a preventive examination at the dentist, treat carious lesions in a timely manner, and carry out oral sanitation.
- Exclude allergic foods from the diet or use them with extreme caution.
- Take vitamins and minerals periodically.
- Eat right, when drawing up a daily menu, focus on fruits and vegetables.
- Refuse to use too hot and spicy dishes.
- Take antidepressants, avoid stressful situations.
- Avoid personal injury and mechanical damage to the mucosa.