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
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:
~ Biting your cheek, tongue, or lip
~ Wearing braces or another type of dental apparatus, or having a sharp, broken tooth
~ Chewing tobacco
~ Burning one’s mouth from hot food or drinks
~ Having gum disease (gingivitis) or other type of mouth infection
~ Having hypersensitivity to certain things, such as foods or medicines
~ Having certain autoimmune diseases affecting the mucosal lining of the mouth, such as lupus, Crohn’s disease, or Behcet’s disease
~ Taking certain drugs such as chemotherapy, antibiotics, medications used for rheumatoid arthritis, or epilepsy medications
~ 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
Cold sores:
Are usually painful
Are usually gone in 7 to 10 days
Are sometimes associated with cold or flu-like symptoms