Having a mouth sore in your mouth can be extremely painful and it can prevent you from eating the foods that you enjoy and more importantly brushing your teeth.
Depending on the location of the problems within your mouth, it can be hard to keep the site properly cleaned due to pain.
What Causes Mouth Sores?
There can be several things that cause a painful mouth sore in your mouth, including:
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Biting yourself
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Brushing too hard
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Burning your mouth.
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Irritation from a retainer or other oral appliance.
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Herpes
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Radiation or chemotherapy.
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Cancer
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Celiac disease
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Weakened immune system.
While some mouth sores are caused by an accident like brushing too hard or biting yourself, if you have a sore in your mouth that has not gone away in over a week or is extremely painful, please give us a call as soon as possible so we can take a look and make sure that there is no other underlying condition that is causing it.
If the mouth sore is due to a bacterial or fungal infection, you will probably need medication to treat the infection.
How are Mouth Sores Treated?
In most cases mouth sores take up to two weeks to heal completely and you will go through a painful period until they start getting better. In the meantime, you can do some things to help with the pain they cause when you chew or brush your teeth.
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Use salt water to swish around your mouth.
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Use a topical over the counter ointment.
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Avoid spicy foods or foods that irritate your mouth, such a citrus.
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Keep your mouth clean.
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Rinse your mouth with a medicated mouthwash.
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Use a milder toothpaste to avoid irritation.
Some patients are more susceptible than others to mouth sores, because of the natural acidity in their mouths. It is very important that you report any unusual sore that doesn't heal within two weeks or gets worse.
Dental Blog | Dentist Salem, OR | Fairmount Dental Center Fairmount Dental Center has created this dental blog to help patients and the community. Click to learn more about dental procedures, home care and more! Fairmount Dental Center, 1524 Commercial St. SE, Salem, OR 97302-4310, (503) 362-8364, fairmountdentalcenter.com, 5/14/2025, Associated Words: dentist Salem OR,
Having a mouth sore in your mouth can be extremely painful and it can prevent you from eating the foods that you enjoy and more importantly brushing your teeth. 
