An overview of mouth sores

As the days start getting colder, we start to see a larger quantity of patients dealing with mouth sores. Do you understand 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 types of mouth sores and how you can identify them.

Canker sores: Canker sores are non-transmittable, from time to time painful incisions 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 low amounts of sleep. They typically go away on their own.

Cold sores: Cold sores, occasionally called fever blisters, are liquid-filled pouches that fashion when the immune system’s strength is lessened, 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 harbor the virus by age 10.

Leukoplakia: Leukoplakia is a disorder resulting in the formation of thick white substances that cannot be scraped away within the mouth, and it’s likely caused by tobacco products. It can lead to dental cancer, and we inspect for it during each appointment you have with Dr. Victor Zeines.

Oral thrush: Oral thrush, or candidiasis, occurs when the healthy candida fungus in your body grows to an unhealthy number when beneficial bacteria are weakened. It can cause fever and difficulty swallowing, and it manifests as small, cottage-cheese-like bumps inside the oral cavity.

At Woodstock & Manhattan Institute for Holistic Dentistry, we are versed in caring for all varieties of oral cavity sores. While we hope that you never have to deal with oral sores, it would be our pleasure to serve you if you do. Please call 845-657-2322 now to schedule your next appointment with our staff in Shokan, New York.