As the weather starts getting more frigid, we start to see a larger quantity of patients dealing with mouth sores. Do you know the difference between canker sores and cold sores? Is the candida yeast a good or bad thing? And what in the world is leukoplakia? To aid you to prep for mouth sore season, we’ve prepared this brief overview of the different varieties of mouth sores and how you can detect them.
Canker sores: Canker sores are non-spreadable, every now and then painful lesions that appear on the inside of the oral cavity. They are whitish-yellow with a red border, and they are caused by biting on the soft tissue of the oral cavity, stress and insufficient amounts of sleep. They usually go away on their own.
Cold sores: Cold sores, sometimes known as fever blisters, are fluid-filled sacks that form when the immune system’s strength is decreased, like during a cold or fever — hence the name! They occur outside of the oral cavity, are caused by the HPV (herpes) virus and can re-manifest after recovery. They are spread through contact with spit, and most people bear the virus by age 10.
Leukoplakia: Leukoplakia is an ailment resulting in the formation of tough white substances that cannot be scraped away within the mouth, and it’s probably caused by tobacco products. It can lead to dental cancer, and we inspect for it during each visit you have with Dr. Sula Umansky.
Oral thrush: Oral thrush, or candidiasis, occurs when the healthy candida fungus in your body grows to an unhealthy quantity when constructive bacteria are weakened. It can cause fever and difficulty swallowing, and it manifests as small, cottage-cheese-like bumps inside the mouth.
At Advantage Dentists, we are versed in caring for all kinds of oral cavity sores. While we hope that you never have to deal with mouth sores, it would be our pleasure to serve you if you do. Please call 832-DENTIST now to set up your next appointment with our team in Katy, Texas.