Mouth Ulcers in Children

Mouth Ulcers in Children

Developing a mouth ulcer is really common and most of us will have an ulcer in mouth at some point in our lives. Studies have shown that Mouth Ulcers are more frequent in young adults and females, but it is also common to see mouth ulcers in children. Luckily, the condition is not contagious, so kissing or sharing drinking cups or cutlery won't give you ulcers.

What Is a Mouth Ulcer?
Mouth ulcers, also called aphthous Stomatitis, are painful sores that occur inside the oral cavity--usually on the gums, cheek, palate or tongue. Speaking, eating, drinking or brushing your teeth can often exacerbate the pain.

There are three major types of mouth ulcer:

• Minor ulcers. These ulcers, approximately 2-8mm across, normally disappear after 10--14 days.


• Major ulcers.Bigger ulcers with a raised or uneven border are more serious and can leave oral scarring. They take longer, about up to several weeks, to clear.


• Herpetiform ulcers. This is where many smaller, pinhead-sized ulcers occur in clusters.

Symptoms of Mouth Ulcers in Children
Your child may have a mouth ulcer if he or she has any of the following:

• Intense mouth pain


• Swollen gums that may be bleeding


• A lack of appetite or refusal to eat or drink anything


• Sullen mood or lack of energy


• A sudden fever


• Small liquid-filled blisters or sores in the oral cavity

What Causes Mouth Ulcers in Children?
There are a number of reasons children may have mouth ulcers:

• Accidental biting the inside of the cheek when speaking or eating.


• Mouth trauma, for instance from sharp pieces of food or chewing pens.


• Poor tooth-brushing technique, causing irritation in the delicate oral tissues.


• High levels of Stress and anxiety.


• Fatigue and weariness, for example, from a disturbance to sleep patterns, can suppress your child's immune system, leaving them susceptible to infections such as ulcers.


• Changes to the diet, for instance, an increase in sugar consumption following a birthday party.

How to Reduce the Risks of Mouth Ulcer
Although you can't stop them, you can reduce your children's chances of developing mouth ulcers by limiting the following risk factors:

• Try to reduce stress in your child's life.


• Cut back on acidic food, such as citrus fruit, tomatoes, pineapple and orange juice.


• Make sure your child eats meals at regular times.


• Establish a set schedule for bed to ensure your child gets enough sleep every night.

How to Treat Mouth Ulcers in Children
Children's mouth ulcers are the same as adults' – they may be very tender, painful and can take up to 2 weeks to clear up. The pain is often worse when eating or drinking.

You can also ease the child's pain from ulcer by the following steps:

• If the child is under 1, give him or her formula milk or Pedialyte®. If the child is over 1 year of age, make sure he or she gets plenty of liquids, for example, milk, water and iced pops. But try to avoid giving him/her fruit juices, as these are acidic and can irritate the oral cavity.


• Your child will need to be looked after whilst suffering from a mouth ulcer, but won't require any time off school or childcare unless he or she develops a fever of about 100°F. Wait 24 hours after the fever has passed before sending your child back to school.


• Provide lots of soft food for your child, but don't make them eat if they really don’t want to as they may have lost their appetite. However, do make sure they get plenty of fluid to prevent Dehydration.


• If your child is old enough to gargle, he or she can try gargling with warm salt water. Cut out spicy and acidic foods from meals, as these can irritate the mouth. Avoid chewing gum, as this may exacerbate any pain.


• Make sure your child practice good oral hygiene to get rid of any stuck food in the mouth. Ensure they use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean their teeth and floss their teeth every day.


• Over-the-counter medicines for healing the sore and reducing pain are available but may not be suitable for children, so speak with your doctor or pharmacist first. Tylenol and Motrin are often prescribed for children, but you should avoid any drugs containing aspirin. If the mouth ulcer is very painful, you can put some anesthetic mouth gel on the sore. Mouth ulcers unresponsive to over-the-counter or home remedies may need prescription medicine.

Tongue Ulcers

Tongue Ulcers

Do you have tongue ulcers? It is rather unfortunate that most people suffering from this condition do not even know they have it. For this reason, it is important to learn about the causes, symptoms and treatments to be able to deal with the problem.

Also referred to as aphthous ulcers, this is a condition characterized by sores on the tongue's surface. Tongue ulcers appear as light colored inflamed areas on the tongue. In other cases, tongue ulcers seem sunk on the tongue's surface and are very sensitive to cold or hot substances. There are several health issues that lead to tongue ulcers.

Causes of Tongue Ulcers
Common causes

• Emotional Stress
  
• Hormonal imbalances during menstrual periods
  
• Oral hygiene
  
• Physical trauma
  
• Sudden Weight Loss
  
• Lack of sleep
  
• Food allergies such as to citrus fruits
  
• Medication side effects
  
• Vitamin deficiency (iron, Vitamin B12)
  
• Sodium lauryl sulfate toothpaste side effect

Medical conditions
1. Oral Thrush

This is a condition where there is an accumulation of fungus Candida albicans on the lining of the mouth. This causes creamy white cuts on the inner cheeks and tongue. These cuts can be painful and may bleed. This thrush can move to the tonsils, gum and back of the throat.

Symptoms: The symptoms are not evident in the beginning. They develop suddenly and may take long to disappear. They include pain, cream-white lesions in the inner check, tongue and mouth roof, tonsils and gums, mild bleeding, redness and cracking of the corners of the mouth, loss of taste as well as feeling cottony in the mouth.

Treatment: Treatment aims at inhibiting the spread of the fungus which varies with age, cause and individual health. Nursing mothers and children need special care. For normal adults, antifungal medications can be prescribed.

2. Oral Cancer

This condition can appear in varying mouth and throat parts. This cancer starts from the tongue and mouth floor. Risks are higher in males over 40 years who use alcohol and tobacco.

Symptoms: They include earache, lose teeth, bleeding in the mouth, Mouth Sores that do not heal, ulcers in mouth cavity, neck lumps as well as swallowing pains.

Treatment: This can include radiation therapy, surgery as well as chemotherapy.

3. Crohn's disease

This is a bowel inflammatory disease that causes the swelling of the digestive tract lining.

Symptoms: abdominal pain, malnutrition, severe Diarrhea, Blood In Stool, ulcers and weight loss. Others include fever, Arthritis, skin disorders, mouth sores and liver and bile duct inflammation.

Treatment: Different treatments work differently for every patient. Treatment works to reduce swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs include mesalamine, sulfasalazine and corticosteroids will be prescribed.

4. Celiac Disease

This is an immune reaction for eating gluten which is a protein present in wheat, rye and barley. Eating gluten triggers an emergency immune response in the small intestine. This reaction causes swelling that causes damage to the lining of the small intestine.

Symptoms: The most common signs are diarrhea, Constipation, anemia, bone density loss, joint pain, dental enamel damage, fatigue, Headaches, tongue ulcers and weight loss.

Treatment: Avoid taking foods with gluten. Doctors may refer one to a dietician. The absence of gluten in foods lessens the inflammation in the intestines. Vitamin supplements like Vitamin B12, D, K as well as zinc supplements are also recommended. Medication is prescribed in case of severe intestinal damage.

5. Behçet's disease

This is a rare disorder that leads to blood vessel inflammation. This syndrome is associated with symptoms that may seem unrelated in the beginning. The causes are not conclusive.

Symptoms: mouth sores, skin rash, eye inflammation, genital sores, swelling of joints and pain and skin lesions.

Treatment: Treatment is administered to reduce the symptoms and stop the pain. Skin gels, creams and ointments can help relieve rashes while mouth rinses can ease the mouth and tongue ulcer pain. Systematic medications to boost the immune system can also be prescribed.

6. Oral Lichen Planus

This is a developing inflammatory condition affecting the mouth mucous membranes. These lichen planus look like white patches, red tissues that are swollen and open sores. The cause remains unknown.

Symptoms: White or red swollen lesions in the mouth, on the gums, palate, tongue and the lips inner tissues. Pain, sensitivity to hot substances, bleeding, gums inflammation and taste changes are also symptoms.

Treatment: The treatment administered involves medication meant to reduce the discomfort caused by the symptoms. A doctor may increase or reduce dosage depending on development. Anti-inflammatory drugs like corticosteroids can be prescribed.

7. Herpes Simplex

Herpes virus can cause infections affecting the nervous system and skin. This leads to blisters on the skin's mucous membranes, including tongue ulcers.

8. GingivoStomatitis

This is a condition caused by a combination of stomatitis and gingivitis. This causes the swelling of the gums and the Mucus membranes inflame causing tongue and mouth sores.

Tongue Ulcers Remedies
Things to use

Yogurt. This contains acidophilus that stimulates the body's immunity.

Fruits. This hastens the healing of the sores.

Pure coconut oil. A teaspoon of coconut oil daily is advisable. It is known to cure various ulcers.

Rinsing with salt water. This gets rid of the stickiness caused by the ulcers.

OTC ointments. Examples include Orajel and Anbesol which contain anesthetic that numbs the tongue temporarily.

Ice. This numbs the tongue and eases the pain.

Hydrogen peroxide. A mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide in the ration of 1:1 can be applied to the tongue directly on a daily basis. This speeds up the healing.

Milk of magnesia. It should be applied on the tongue using a swab. It can be mixed with the hydrogen peroxide mixture or can be applied separately. It soothes the sores. You can combine this with mouthwash and used to rinse the mouth. Do not swallow.

Things to avoid

Smoking

Excess alcohol consumption

Excessive intake of tea and coffee, spicy food, etc.

Use of toothpaste and mouthwash containing harsh chemicals

Prescribed medication and supplements that may induce mouth sores

Prescribed medications and supplements
In case the ulcers do not heal, medication may be recommended.

• Prescription of anti-inflammatory, collagenase inhibitors or antibiotics is common
  
• Pain relievers like debacterol are also prescribed. This seals the tissues thereby shortening the time taken to heal
  
• Supplements like zinc and vitamin supplements like Vitamin B12 and B6 as well as folic acid are also prescribed
  
• As a last result steroids are prescribed

How to Get Rid of Mouth Ulcers

How to Get Rid of Mouth Ulcers

Mouth Ulcers, commonly referred to, as Canker Sores are an extremely uncomfortable and annoying lesion(s) that can form in your mouth. These sores can form due to various things. You can get a canker sore after having some dental work done, or there may be some type of problem in your immune system. Hormonal changes, allergies to certain foods, Stress or a deficiency of vitamin B12 can often times jump-start these sores. The good news is that both medical treatments and home remedies are available to get rid of mouth ulcers.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Mouth Ulcers
How to cure persistent mouth ulcers:

1. Saline rinse
Using a saline solution is a great way to disinfect your mouth, which can help clear away the canker sore and also help in prevention. Mix some warm water with salt, rinse and swish in your mouth and spit it out in the sink when you are finished. Try to repeat this process three times a day, especially after you eat anything.

2. Mouthwash rinse
Rinse with mouthwash, such as a diphenhydramine suspension wash, like benedryl Allergy rinse in the morning, after meals and in the evening before bedtime. These types of rinses not only help to clear up the canker sore, but they also help to reduce the pain.

3. Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to help in reducing the canker sores, it acts as an antiseptic, and so it thoroughly cleans and disinfects your mouth. You can add to warm water and rinse with it and you can also apply it directly to the sore with the use of a cotton swab. Make sure to let it absorb for 15 minutes before eating or drinking.

4. Ice chips
Ice chips are an easy way to help out with the pain; they numb as well as reduce swelling. You can put ice chip in a thermal cup and just suck on them throughout the day; your tongue can help guide them to the correct area. Drinking cold water, when ice chips are not available, is also helpful.

5. PH balance
Excess acid or a low PH in your mouth can often be the cause of these sores, so reducing the acidic foods, such as citrus foods, spicy foods and carbonated drinks is a good idea. You can apply milk of magnesia using a cotton swab, about twice a day; can help to counteract the PH level in your mouth.

6. Pain relievers
The pain that you feel from these ulcers can be annoying and also distracting. For adults aspirin or another over-the-counter pain reliever can sometimes help to ease the pain. There are also products that numb, such as baby teething medications, can be applied directly to the sore, but remember the sores have to run their course, so patience is a virtue.

7. Garlic
Surprisingly, garlic contains an antiseptic and contains antiviral as well as antibacterial qualities, it is called Allicin. So rubbing half a clove of garlic on your sore for about a minute, followed by a water rinse in about an hour after, can help to speed up the healing process, as well as ease the discomfort.

8. Turmeric paste
Turmeric paste can be applied to your sore, to act as a cooling agent and a natural antiseptic. The paste can be made easily, just mix 1 tablespoon of water with 3 tablespoons of turmeric in a small bowl and mix it up until it forms a paste. It can be applied to you sore, once a day, with a cotton swab. You need to let it stay on your sore for a couple minutes and then just simply rinse your mouth out.

9. Peppermint oil
To help speed up the healing process, and the pain and irritation, peppermint oil can be rubbed in your mouth with a cotton swab and left in for about fifteen minutes. Once that’s done, simply rinse your mouth out. And allow it to work.

Medical Treatments to Get Rid of Mouth Ulcers
1. Dentist visit
If the sore just won't go away for over three weeks, it’s time to see the dentist. The dentist can check to see what the problem is.

2. Medicated mouthwash or corticosteroid
If the dentist says that it is just a canker sore, ask him about corticosteroid gel or a medicated mouthwash. These are some prescription medications that are stronger to help rid you of that stubborn sore.

3. Regular dental check-up
During a regular dental check-up you can keep consistent oral hygiene, which will prevent future mouth ulcers from happening.

4. Nutritional supplements
In some cases the problem is a lack of consumption of the proper nutrients that your body needs. In such cases the dentist can prescribe you nutritional supplements, such as folate, which is folic acid, vitamins, such as B6 and B12, and zinc.