Blisters in the mouth
Blisters in the mouth can be incredibly painful and a nuisance at the slightest movement. On this page you'll get an overview of what these annoying little sores are, why they happen and what you can do to treat them yourself.
Blisters and blisters in the mouth are often used interchangeably, with slight differences between the two. While a blister is a general term for fluid-filled sores or lesions, blisters are more specific sores that often appear as white or yellowish spots surrounded by a red ring.
What are blisters in the mouth?
Blisters in the mouth are painful sores that are 5-10 mm in size. They are typically yellowish sores surrounded by reddish rings. The sore is painful because it is a kind of inflammation. Blisters can appear on the inside of the lips, inside of the cheeks and on the tongue.
The pain from a blister depends on where the blister is located in the mouth. Often, blisters in the mouth are so annoying that you can barely eat and drink without feeling the pain from them. They can be very bothersome - especially if they occur too often.
When does a blister go away?
Blisters in the mouth heal on their own within two weeks, but sometimes they can persist. If this is the case, or if the sores appear in the form of frequent outbreaks, it may be a sign of other diseases. In such a situation, dental care is necessary. Book your appointment to find out what's causing it and how it can be treated most effectively.
Book your appointment to find out what's causing it and how it can be treated most effectively.
Why do you get blisters?
Around 20% of the population suffers from blisters at some point. It is unknown what the exact cause of blisters is. However, there are indications that several parameters play a role in a blister outbreak. Heredity and a compromised immune system are among the most common causes.
Other parameters can also act as triggers for blister outbreaks.
The following parameters can have an impact:
- Food allergies: It has been found that blisters in the mouth frequently appear after eating nuts, tomatoes, old and strong cheese, chocolate and various types of fruit.
- Other mouth sores: These can be sores that come from an injury from brushing your teeth, biting yourself or otherwise injuring an area of the oral cavity.
- Using toothpaste with sodium lauryl sulfate: For those who often have problems with blisters in the mouth, toothpaste with sodium lauryl sulfate can stimulate the release of a blister.
- Hormonal imbalances and stress: Some women find that blisters in the mouth are triggered in the run-up to menstruation due to hormonal changes.
- Stress also causes hormonal imbalances, which is therefore also a common cause of blisters in the mouth.
- Vitamin deficiencies: Studies have shown that there may be a link between the triggering of blisters in the mouth and a lack of some iron vitamins and B vitamins such as B1, B2, B6, B12.
How do you treat blisters?
Once a blister has appeared in the mouth, there are different ways to treat it so that it can gradually fade away. In other words, the treatment speeds up healing, but does not help prevent future outbreaks.
These treatment methods could be by:
- Rinsing your mouth with disinfectant mouthwashes. Chlorhexidine is the most common form of mouthwash. Here it can also be beneficial to get the chlorhexidine in direct contact with the wound. This can be done by dabbing a cotton swab with the mouthwash and then applying the swab to the wound.
- Local anesthetics - These can relieve the pain and can help you endure the pain of blisters in the mouth. For example, ointments containing lidocaine can be used here. Adrenal corticosteroid ointment, which is available on prescription, promotes the healing of blisters. However, the ointment can have an unpleasant consistency in the mouth.
- Antibiotics - available in tablet form that can be dissolved in water and then applied to the blister. However, antibiotics are prescription-only.
What can your dentist do for frequent blister outbreaks?
If your own efforts and the various treatments haven't worked so far, it's necessary to ask your dentist for advice on how to treat it most effectively with medical help.
Contact us today and book your consultation here.
Contact us and get advice
If you have any doubts or questions, don't hesitate to contact us.
- I look forward to meeting you in the clinic.
- Dentist
Born 1974, graduated from the University of Copenhagen from the Department of Odontology at the School of Dentistry in 2004. Experienced dentist who has taught at the School of Dentistry in Copenhagen in gum disease and performs special treatments in periodontal disease.
Zohair has also published an article in Tandlægebladet about "periodontitis juvenilis", which can be read here or on the website of the Odontological Institute.
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