Thrush is a type of fungus.  It is a build up of yeast that naturally grows in your mouth.  Thrush can be caused by taking antibiotics, especially medicines that have dry mouth as a side effect.  Antibiotics can kill the regular bacterias in your mouth; with these bacteria gone the fungus that causes thrush grows actively.

Thrush can be painful but it isn’t always a symptom.

First indications of a Thrush Infection:

-White patches on your tongue, inside your cheeks, roof of your mouth and/or corners of your lips.  The white patches have the consistency of curdled milk and if you try to scrape the thrush off you may cause some pain or bleeding.

-Thrush mouth will make your mouth taste bad and will also cause bad breath.

You will want to call a dentist or your doctor as soon as you experience these problems so you can get thrush treatment as soon as possible.

Thrush Treatment

Your health care professional will give you some antifungal medications to get rid of the thrush infection.  Thrush treatment takes about 7-10 days.

Do not try to scrape thrush out of your mouth yourself.  Since the fungus is growing because of a lack of normal bacteria’s; it will continue to grow and could begin growing down your esophagus.

Get treatment for your thrush symptoms immediately.  Thrush can also be indicative of other problems, like HIV or some other sickness within your body.  Your dentist or doctor can help you find out what caused your thrush infection.

Dental hygiene has ALOT to do with the quality of your gum tissue.  Gums do not regenerate so when you start to lose this rubbery tissue it will not come back.  This is very bad for teeth because your gums hold your teeth into you mouth.

Sore gums and swollen gums do not automatically indicate that you have a major problem.  It could be that you’ve chronically been brushing your teeth too roughly and irritating your sensitive gums.  There are many reasons that cause sore gums, even diabetes and heart disease, so see your dentist if the problems persist.  It could be indicative of other health issues.

Also, having swollen gums does not automatically mean you need to get a gum graft or have gum surgery.  You could have periodontal disease and there are a few ways to treat it, you need to consult your periodontist for treatment that is right for you.

If you suspect you have receding gums:

-your tooth or teeth may have gaps between them; this is because that gum tissue is no longer cushioning the spaces between teeth.

-gums that bleed every time you brush or floss could be a major indicator of a receding gum line.

-your teeth are now very sensitive to hot or cold, this is because the root is becoming exposed.

Be sure to always have your teeth cleaned every six months to avoid gum surgery in your future.  Having good oral hygiene is the most painless and least expensive way to prevent mouth sores.

In this post we’ll look at the different reasons a tongue could get ulcers or become sore.

1. The first, and most obvious reason your tongue could have a sore is because you bit it.  Maybe you don’t remember biting your tongue but it’s very possible this is the cause for the soreness.
2. The second most obvious reason your tongue could have sores or ulcers is because you ate something that has irritated it or that you are allergic to.  If you are having an allergy your tongue could swell up pretty big so keep track of the time and if you notice a significant difference in the size of your tongue in just a few moments you had better get to a close hospital.

   If you ate something that has just irritated your tongue, something acidic like pineapple or tomato sauce, the sores will go away in a day or two.

3. What do the sores on your tongue look like?
   Are they little white dots?

   These little white spots on your tongue could be inflamed taste buds.  These dots are sort of hard and they are annoying because the tongue is such a sensitive part of the body.  Having the small white spots isn’t anything to cause alarm and they should disappear in a few days; however if the dots don’t go away or they multiply please go to a doctor or free clinic.

4. Herpes Simplex causes most mouth sores problems for people young and old.  Painful white sores or lesions on your tongue could be from the herpes simplex virus and you should go to a doctor for treatment.
5. If you notice that you have weird bumps, discoloration or sores in your mouth that were never there before, make sure you examine it daily for changes; even if the abnormality isn’t painful it is important to pay attention to it.  Most cancers do not have symptoms of pain in the beginning so if you notice a sore that doesn’t go away you need to make an appointment with your doctor for a diagnosis!

In fact, some doctors say as many as 1 in 5 children will contract Herpes Simplex 1, HSV-1, the virus that causes cold sores.

Luckily, treating cold sores and preventing lip blisters isn’t much different in children than it is in adults.

How to Recognize Cold Sores

Cold sores, unlike other mouth sores, are usually small, red bumps that appear primarily as sores on lips. They can appear inside the mouth, but that is rare. Cold sores can also creep up into the nose and they can cause a lot of pain no matter where they show up.

These fever blisters can last 1-2 weeks, often erupting a few days after a child feels a tingling in their lips. Once the sore grows, it will eventually burst and leak a white fluid. The exposed lip sore will then crust over and last as many as 10 days.

After healing, sores on lips will leave a red mark on the child’s face for as long as a month in some cases.

What Problems Cause Cold Sores in Children?

Just like adults, kids can get HSV-1 from the following:

• Sickness
• Overexposure to Sunlight
• Stress
• Chapped Lips
• Sharing Food or Drink with a Kid Who Has Cold Sores

Read more about what problems cause cold sores.

Fever Blister Treatment for Kids

There is no cure for cold sores, but you can take steps to help heal lip sores more quickly.

Here’s how to take action:

• Make sure the child is getting a balanced diet. Doctors have linked improper diets to contributing to trigger factors in cold sores.
• Give the child foods high in Lysine, a compound known for quickening the lifespan of a lip sore. Foods high in lysine include Chicken, Beans and Fish.
• Apply moisturizer to the cold sore
• Cover sores on lips with a balm
• Acetominophen and Ibuprofen can be given to some children to help ease the pain caused by lip blisters.

Get more cold sore remedies.

Prevent Cold Sores

Cold sores can’t be completely prevented, but kids can reduce the likelihood of a cold sore outbreak.

A simple step would be to make sure child washes his or her hands and face regularly, especially when they are around a child who currently has cold sores.

Get more methods to prevent cold sores.

While you can’t “cure mouth blisters” you can use several over-the-counter medicines to help get over these mouth sores quickly.

WHAT ARE CANKER SORES?

Canker Sores, also called mouth blisters, are small sores that appear on the inside of the mouth. Sometimes referred to as mouth ulcers, these sores can show up on the tongue, roof of the mouth, cheek and inside of the lip.

Here’s the kicker too, no one knows what causes mouth blisters.

Canker sores are not like cold sores, which only occur on the outside of the mouth and sometimes in the nose.

But like cold sores, mouth blisters are incredibly painful and very irritating. They typically last 1-2 weeks. You can choose from several medicines to help speed up the healing process.

BEST OTC CANKER SORES TREATMENT

The following medicines will help you heal blisters in the mouth:

Anbesol – A topical ointment that comes in a tube and can be applied for relieving pain from toothaches, canker sores, cold sores and even teething in babies.

Orajel – This medicine works on mouth blisters but is also heavily geared toward toothaches.

Orabase – Produced by Colgate, Orabase contains Benzocaine, which inhibits pain from recurring canker sores.

Zilactin-B - Mouth sore gel that works to form a bioadhesive barrier that covers the lip blister. It’s formulated to last as many as 6 hours with re-applying.

Have you used any of these medicines? Which one works best for you?

MY MOUTH SORE MAKES IT HURT WHEN I EAT

If you have a canker sore, avoid foods that are either very spicy or very salty.  Bland tasting foods are usually the best in general.  Also avoid foods which have citric acid in them (like orange juice) as they can irritate your canker sore.  A good way to dull the pain is to eat cold foods like ice cream or popsicles.

WHAT DIET CHANGES CAN I MAKE TO PREVENT MOUTH SORES

Foods high in the B vitamins can have a positive effect in reducing the occurrence of canker sores. If you notice that you your canker sores  usually occur after you eat or drink a lot of a certain type of food  (again, such as juices high in citric acid or extra salty or spicy food), you’ll want to make a mental note of this and avoid those foods in the future.

One last thing to keep in minds is that certain kinds of toothpastes and mouthwashes contain an ingredient known as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. This ingredient has been associated with causing an increase in mouth sores breakouts for some people. So check to make sure that your toothpaste isn’t the reason for your canker sores.

Here’s to a healthy and pain-free smile!

Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are caused by the Herpes Simplex 1 Virus (HSV-1). They usually appear as small, red, painful bumps on and around the lip area and sometimes nostrils. They rarely appear inside the mouth.

What Are Canker Sores?

Canker sores are small, painful sores inside the mouth that can either be red or have a white coating.

Canker sores most commonly appear on the soft tissue of the inside of your lips and cheeks and sometimes under your tongue. They can appear as a single mouth sore or as a small cluster of sores inside the mouth.

People in their 20s are most susceptible to canker sores, although anyone can experience them.

Are Canker Sores Contagious?

NO! Isn’t that great? Unlike cold sores, canker sores are mouth ulcers that do not spread from person to person.

It’s still a good idea to not share food and drinks while you are experiencing a canker sore, but you won’t infect another person if you do.

What Causes Canker Sores?

No one knows for sure what causes these mouth sores. Doctors have found that canker sores tend to run in families, but that they won’t spread from person to person.

Other experts suspect canker sores are linked to stress, nutrition deficiencies, hormones, menstruation and possibly the foaming agent found in some toothpastes and mouthwashes.

How To Treat Canker Sores

• Over-the-counter medicines are able to numb and reduce swelling of canker sores
• Use toothpaste and/or mouthwash that does not contain SLS
• Apply tea bags to the sores. Appropriate teas include green and black teas.

What To Avoid During Canker Sore Outbreaks

Spicy and acidic foods can irritate canker sores and make them last longer than you’d hope. Try to avoid those as well as any sharp foods that may aggravate and poke the mouth sores. Avoid anything that may irritate the canker sore, including brushing it with your toothbrush.

Most mouth sores will come and go within about 1-2 weeks. If you have mouth blisters that last longer than that, you should consider consulting a medical professional.

You may require a minor surgery to remove damaged cells that produce sores on tongue, cheeks and the roof of your mouth.

In the meantime, there are some things you can do to help ease the pain associated with canker sores, such as avoiding certain foods.

FOODS THAT IRRITATE MOUTH BLISTERS

Foods with Sharp Edges: That means lay off the nachos and chips when you have a canker sores. These foods tend to poke sores which can further irritate them and cause the mouth sores to grow.

Spicy Foods: Spicy and hot foods can aggravate your mouth sore and cause you more short-term pain.

Highly acidic foods or beverages: Stay away from drinks like lemonade and orange juice. Foods that create a slight stinging sensation are best left alone while you are experiencing a mouth blister.

Chewing Gum: This isn’t a harmless candy. Once false move and you could chomp down on a canker sore and inflame it worse than before. Avoid chewing gum, which also can cause your tongue, cheek, lips  and teeth to rub against the mouth blister.

Cold sores, also called fever blisters, can’t be cured, according to doctors. But if you’re set on finding something at the drug store to help heal cold sores, they can be treated using pain relievers and topical medicines. Abreva is a common cold sore medicine, but it can be costly.

PAIN RELIEF FOR FEVER BLISTERS

The best way to treat cold sores is to prevent them in the first place, but we all know that is easier said than done.

Since you need help now, here’s some medicines you can use to help ease your pain:

1. Ibuprofen: Also known as Motrin, Ibuprofen helps bring down the swelling on and around sores on your body. This helps reduce pain caused by lip sores.
2. Tylenol: Tylenol contains acetaminophen, which acts as a inhibitor to swelling in your body.
3. Cold Sore Ointment Anbesol: Anbesol contains benzocaine, local anesthetic used in topical pain relievers.
4. Cold Sore Ointment Zilactin: Zilactin contains benzyl alcohol
5. Apply Ice to Lip Sores: Ice also helps reduce swelling on cold sores and could help bring down the size of one that is growing.

Pain relief alone won’t stop your cold sore, but it at least will make it a little more bearable. In the meantime, you can take steps to help prevent cold sores.

Many People Get Mouth Sores and They Are Very Common

The American Social Health Association says that between 50 and 80 percent of the adult population in the US has mouth herpes, with as many as 90% having the virus by age 50.  So it goes from “most people” to “nearly everyone” as we age.  Recurrent canker sores affect 1 in 5 Americans.

Most People Won’t Even Notice a Visible Cold Sore

Think about when you have seen others with what you thought “could” be a mouth sore.  You probably weren’t sure what it was (unless they told you) and you would might have been too embarrassed to ask. If it was a man, maybe it was a cut from shaving. If it was a women, maybe she had a lip waxing accident.

No matter what though, you probably stopped thinking about it pretty quickly. That’s how most people react when they notice a mouth sore. A quick “I wonder what that is” and that’s it. You don’t have to be embarrassed, if you don’t draw attention to your mouth sores then others will likely not notice at all. Even if they do they won’t say anything.

If someone does ask you about the mouth sore, you can make a joke like “I ran into the wall” and if they press you further just give them a dirty look. Its none of their business, and it shouldn’t stop you from having a great time out.

For cutting down on the number of cold sore breakouts, I recommend the Cold Sore Freedom in 3 Days guide. It’s a great resource for reducing and shortening breakouts. But however you treat your mouth sores remember that they don’t run your life and they shouldn’t stop you from having fun or make you miss a big day.