How long does a mouth sore take to heal

January 23, 2019

Table of Contents Show

1. How common are canker sores?
2. What do canker sores look like?
3. What causes a canker sore?
4. Are they contagious?
5. How long will it take to heal?
6. How can I facilitate the healing process?
7. When should I visit the dentist?
What does a mouth ulcer look like?
When to get professional advice
How to treat mouth ulcers
Is it mouth cancer?
What causes mouth ulcers?
Can mouth ulcers be prevented?
What helps mouth sores heal faster?
How do I know if my mouth sore is healing?
How long do mouth sores take to go away?
What causes mouth sores?

Canker sores can be so painful to the point of distracting you from your daily activities! If you’re dealing with canker sores at the moment, here are seven important facts you should learn while you’re on the mend.

1. How common are canker sores?

You may be surprised to learn that 20% of the population actually gets canker sores, according to the International association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. These ulcerated legions or sores are quite painful, and can make it difficult to speak or chew your food.

2. What do canker sores look like?

You’ll most frequently find these sores on the inner surfaces of your cheeks and lips, as well as your tongue, gums, and even the roof of your mouth. There are three different types of canker sores—minor, major, and herpetiform. The most common type of canker sore is the minor type, which is small and round with a white or yellow center and red outline. Major canker sores, on the other hand, are larger and deeper. They also have irregular edges. Finally, the herpetiform canker sores are irregularly shaped and small. They also occur in clusters—sometimes up to 100 of them!

3. What causes a canker sore?

There are a multitude of potential causes for your canker sores. For example, you could have injured the tissue when brushing your teeth, playing sports, or even accidentally biting your cheek. Hormonal changes (like during menstruation) can also cause these painful sores. Sensitivities to certain foods (like spicy or acidic foods) or a lack of nutrients can lead to these sores, as well as a deficiency in your immune system.

4. Are they contagious?

No, canker sores are not contagious. Despite the common misconception, canker sores are not spurred on by the herpes virus—which is at least one less thing to worry about!

5. How long will it take to heal?

Canker sores can be quite painful within the first few days. Thankfully, the pain lessens during the healing process, which can take about two weeks for the minor or herpiteform types. Major canker sores, however, can last several weeks or even several months—often leading to scarring.

6. How can I facilitate the healing process?

To help your canker sore heal, be sure to avoid foods or beverages that can cause irritation, such as spicy or acidic foods and alcohol. You should also make sure to maintain your dental hygiene routine and keep your mouth clean throughout the healing process.

7. When should I visit the dentist?

Has your canker sore lasted longer than two weeks? Do you keep getting new sores before the old ones have healed? Do you have large recurring canker sores? If so, it is important to visit your dentist for a diagnosis. These are not always canker sores and could be indicative of a more serious issue.

If you’ve been dealing with your canker sore for a very long time, it could be time to visit the dentist. Call Caputo Dental in Naperville today to schedule an appointment.

Mouth ulcers are painful sores that appear in the mouth. Although they're uncomfortable, they’re usually harmless and most clear up by themselves within a week or two.

Mouth ulcers are common and can usually be managed at home, without seeing your dentist or GP.

What does a mouth ulcer look like?

Mouth ulcers are usually round or oval sores that commonly appear inside the mouth on the:

cheeks
lips
tongue

They can be white, red, yellow or grey in colour and swollen.

It's possible to have more than one mouth ulcer at a time and they may spread or grow.

Mouth ulcers shouldn't be confused with cold sores, which are small blisters that develop on the lips or around the mouth. Cold sores often begin with a tingling, itching or burning sensation around your mouth.

When to get professional advice

Mouth ulcers can be painful, which can make it uncomfortable to eat, drink or brush your teeth.

It's usually safe to treat mouth ulcers at home, although your pharmacist may advise that yousee your GP or dentist if:

your mouth ulcer has lasted three weeks
you keep getting mouth ulcers
your mouth ulcer becomes more painful or red – this could be a sign of a bacterial infection, which may need treatment with antibiotics

Mouth ulcers are also a possible symptom of a viral infection that mainly affects young children, called hand, foot and mouth disease. Speak to your GP or call the NHS 24 111service if you're unsure.

Read about the symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease.

How to treat mouth ulcers

Mouth ulcers don’t usually need to be treated, because they tend to clear up by themselves within a week or two.

However, treatment can help to reduce swelling and ease any discomfort. This may help if you keep getting mouth ulcers or your mouth ulcer affects eating and drinking.

Self care

Things you can do to speed up healing include:

applying a protective paste recommended by your pharmacist
using a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth
using a toothpaste that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate, as this may be irritating
avoiding hard, spicy, salty, acidic or hot food and drink until the ulcer heals
using a straw to drink cool drinks
avoiding things that may be triggering your mouth ulcers – see causes, below

Pharmacy medicines

You can get several types of mouth ulcer treatment from a pharmacy. Speak to your pharmacist about the best treatment for you. Options include the following:

Antimicrobial mouthwash may speed up healing and prevent infection of the ulcer. Children under two shouldn't use this treatment. It also contains chlorexidine gluconate, which may stain teeth – but this may fade once treatment is finished.
Painkillers are available as a mouthwash, lozenge, gel or spray. They can sting on first use and your mouth may feel numb – but this is temporary. Mouthwash can be diluted with water if stinging continues. Children under 12 shouldn’t use mouthwash or gel. Mouthwash shouldn’t be used for more than seven days in a row.
Corticosteroid lozenges may reduce pain and speed up healing. These are best used as soon as the ulcer appears, but shouldn't be used by children under 12.

Medicines from your dentist or GP

If necessary, you may be prescribed a course of stronger corticosteroids to help reduce pain and swelling, and speed up healing.

Corticosteroids are available on prescription as tablets, mouthwash, paste or spray, but are not suitable for children under 12.

Is it mouth cancer?

In a few cases, a long-lasting mouth ulcer can be a sign of mouth cancer. Ulcers caused by mouth cancer usually appear on or under the tongue, although you can get them in other areas of the mouth.

Risk factors for mouth cancer include:

smoking or using products that contain tobacco
drinking alcohol – smokers who are also heavy drinkers have a much higher risk compared to the population at large
infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV) – the virus that causes genital warts

It's important to detect mouth cancer as early as possible. If mouth cancer is detected early, the chances of a complete recovery are good. Regular dental check-ups are the best way to detect the early signs.

What causes mouth ulcers?

In many cases, the reason for mouth ulcers is unclear. Most single mouth ulcers are caused by damage to the lining inside of the mouth. For example:

accidentally biting the inside of your cheek or a sharp tooth
poorly fitting dentures
hard food
a defective filling

It’s not always clear what causes mouth ulcers that keep returning, but triggers are thought to include:

stress and anxiety
hormonal changes – some women develop mouth ulcers during their monthly period
eating certain foods – such as chocolate, spicy foods, coffee, peanuts, almonds, strawberries, cheese, tomatoes and wheat flour
toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulphate
stopping smoking – when you first stop smoking, you may develop mouth ulcers

Your genes are also thought to have a role – around 40% of people who keep getting mouth ulcers report that it runs in their family.

Medical conditions

Mouth ulcers can sometimes be caused by certain medical conditions, such as:

viral infections – including the cold sore virus, chickenpox, and hand, foot and mouth disease
vitamin B12or iron deficiency
Crohn's disease– a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system
coeliac disease– a common digestive condition where a person has an adverse reaction to gluten
reactive arthritis– a condition that causes inflammation in various places in the body, usually as a reaction to an infection
weakened immune system – for example, due to HIVor lupus
Behçet’s disease – a rare and poorly understood condition that also causes swelling of the blood vessels

Medications and treatments

Mouth ulcers can sometimes be caused by certain medications or treatments, such as:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – such as ibuprofen
nicorandil – a medication sometimes used to treat angina
beta-blockers– used to treat conditions such as angina, high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms
a side effect of chemotherapyor radiotherapy – this is known as mucositis

Can mouth ulcers be prevented?

It may not be possible to prevent mouth ulcers, because they're often caused by things you can't control (such as a family history or a medical condition).

However, the following may help to reduce your risk of developing mouth ulcers:

avoiding certain foods – such as chocolate, spicy foods, coffee, peanuts, almonds, strawberries, cheese, tomatoes and wheat flour, if they cause you to have an ulcer
not chewing gum
brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled brush, which may reduce irritation in your mouth
using toothpaste that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate
reducing stressand anxiety – which may be a trigger for some people

What helps mouth sores heal faster?

Rinse your mouth. Use salt water or baking soda rinse (dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 cup warm water). Dab a small amount of milk of magnesia on your canker sore a few times a day. Avoid abrasive, acidic or spicy foods that can cause further irritation and pain.

How do I know if my mouth sore is healing?

In the next stage, the typical yellow-gray ulcer forms, with redness surrounding the ulcer like a halo. During this period, the pain may increase. Finally, the healing stage begins, and healthy tissue starts closing over the sore. The pain goes away as the ulcer gets smaller.

How long do mouth sores take to go away?

Mouth sores often go away in 10 to 14 days, even if you do not do anything. They sometimes last up to 6 weeks. The following steps can make you feel better: Avoid hot beverages and foods, spicy and salty foods, and citrus.

What causes mouth sores?

While viruses are the most common infectious cause of mouth sores, bacteria can cause oral lesions too. For example, cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. But mouth sores like gingivostomatitis can be caused by certain bacteria, such as streptococcus and actinomyces.