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Stomatitis
In this article

Types of Stomatitis

Symptoms of Stomatitis: Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Causes of Stomatitis: Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Treatment for Common Forms of Stomatitis

Stomatitis, a general term for an inflamed and sore mouth, can disrupt a person's ability to eat, talk, and sleep. Stomatitis can occur
anywhere in the mouth, including the inside of the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, and palate.

Types of Stomatitis
Types of stomatitis include:

Canker sore: A canker sore, also known as an aphthous ulcer, is a single pale or yellow ulcer with a red outer ring

or a cluster of such ulcers in the mouth, usually on the cheeks, tongue, or inside the lip.
Cold sores: Also called fever blisters, cold sores are fluid-filled sores that occur on or around the lips. They rarely
form on the gums or the roof of the mouth. Cold sores later crust over with a scab and are usually associated with

tingling, tenderness, or burning before the actual sores appear.

Mouth irritation. The irritation can be caused by:

o Biting your cheek, tongue, or lip

o Wearing braces or another type of dental apparatus, or having a sharp, broken tooth
o Chewing tobacco
o Burning one's mouth from hot food or drinks
o Having gum disease (gingivitis) or other type of mouth infection
o Having hypersensitivity to certain things, such as foods or medicines
o Having certain autoimmune diseases affecting the mucosal lining of the mouth, such as lupus, Crohn's disease, or
Behcet's disease
o Taking certain drugs such as chemotherapy, antibiotics,medications used for rheumatoid arthritis,
or epilepsymedications
o Receiving radiation as part of cancer treatment

Symptoms of Stomatitis: Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Canker sores:

Can be painful

Usually last 5 to 10 days

Tend to come back

Are generally not associated with fever

Are usually painful

Are usually gone in 7 to 10 days

Are sometimes associated with cold or flu-like symptoms

Cold sores:

Causes of Stomatitis: Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Canker Sores
Nobody knows what exactly causes canker sores, but many things may contribute to their development, such as certain medications, trauma
to the mouth, poor nutrition, stress, bacteria or viruses, lack ofsleep, sudden weight loss, and certain foods such as potatoes, citrus fruits,
coffee, chocolate, cheese, and nuts.
Canker sores may also be related to a temporarily reduced immune system because of a cold or flu, hormonal changes, or low levels
ofvitamin B12 or folate. Even biting the inside of the cheek or chewing a sharp piece of food can trigger a canker sore.

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Further Reading:

Picture of Sucking Blister

Picture of Cold Sores (Fever Blisters)

What causes cold sores?

Cold Sore Treatments

Oral Antivirals for Cold Sores-Topic Overview

Mouth Sores-Topic Overview

Mouth Sores-Related Information

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