Mouth ulcers or canker sores are painful, small lesions that can develop at
the base of your gums or in other areas of your mouth. They can quickly make talking, eating and drinking very uncomfortable. While mouth ulcers rarely stay for more than 2 weeks, it may become necessary for you to get in touch with a dentist if it becomes extremely painful or lasts for a long time.
Why Do Mouth Ulcers Occur?
Many people are of the notion that mouth ulcers are triggered by not visiting a dentist for teeth cleaning. However, that is not the only reason because there is no definite cause behind this condition. It can occur due to hard brushing, dental work, accidental bite, food sensitivities, or sports injury.
In some cases, it may also develop because of toothpastes containing sodium lauryl sulfate. Other causes of mouth ulcers include, lack of sleep, inadequate essential micro-nutrients in your diet, dental braces, and infections.
Conditions Associated with Mouth Ulcers
Oral health is now being recognized as a precursor to overall health. This is one of the reasons why you should regularly visit a dentist for teeth cleaning.
Mouth ulcers can be an indication of other serious medical conditions, like diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and Behcet’s diseases. It can also be a sign of a malfunctioning immune system that is causing your body to attack healthy oral cells rather than targeting bacteria and viruses.
How to Diagnose Mouth Ulcers?
Typically, mouth ulcers are diagnosed during appointments for routine teeth cleaning in Roswell, GA. However, you may schedule a visit to your dentist’s office for a visual exam if you think you may have mouth ulcers. Your dentist may advise tests for other medical conditions if you suffer from frequent and severe mouth ulcers.
4 Tips To Avoid Mouth Ulcers
There are a number of steps you can take to prevent mouth ulcers from developing in the first place.
- Make sure you avoid irritating acidic foods, like pineapples, lemons, and grapefruits. Spices in processed chips and nuts are known to be irritating that can result in mouth ulcers.
- You should also think of introducing non-acidic (alkaline) foods to your diet in the form of whole grains, raw vegetables and fruits.
- Take multi-vitamins and eat a healthy and balanced diet.
- Sometimes, mouth ulcers occur because of accidental internal bites. Avoid talking while chewing to reduce these accidental bites.
While mouth ulcers are not directly associated with oral hygiene, it may be helpful to maintain good oral health. Consider visiting your dentist Roswell GA regularly for teeth cleaning. You should also floss daily and brush twice.
Finally, make sure you get adequate sleep and prevent stress as much as possible. This will not only help you prevent mouth ulcers, but will also ward off a host of other illnesses.
