Mouth sores are no one’s friend! Painful, annoying and unsightly, mouth sores can vary. They are usually referred to as “canker sores”, which is an old term for?mouth ulcers. Some mouth sores are less serious or worrisome than others. A couple common signs and descriptions may help clear up any confusion.

Mouth Sores Outside the Mouth

The first and simplest clue is whether the sore is inside your mouth or on the outside of the mouth on your lip line.The ones on the outside of your mouth -?Herpes symplex I?(a virus) – are the worst. This virus will lay dormant in the body till the worst time possible to appear. This kind of mouth sore is ugly, painful, and contagious!! No kissing anyone, especially babies! Babies will get it from other people kissing them. It doesn’t happen simultaneously, but will be triggered sometime in the future.

The first outbreak is usually a lot of small sores all over the inside of the mouth.The following outbreaks will always be on the lip line outside of the mouth. Some triggers for the outbreak are stress, hormones, allergies, and exhaustion. Some topical, over-the-counter ointments can be taken at its first signs to lessen the outbreak, which will typically last 10-14 days. Please refrain from kissing or engaging in any oral contact during this time.

Mouth Sores Inside the Mouth

The typical sores inside the mouth are NOT contagious…just painful and annoying. They?may even keep you from eating because of the pain. These, also labeled “canker sores”, are actually called apthous stomatitis. These apthous lesions also come when you’re under stress, hormonal, or sensitive to certain foods or environments. There is no cure for these and the duration is usually seven to ten days. There are over-the-counter ointments available that will?lessen the pain and shorten the duration of the outbreak.

So if you “Ask Jeannie”: If you’ve never been diagnosed before, don’t take mouth sores lightly. It is important to get a proper diagnosis and instructions on the healing process from your doctor or dental specialist. Then you can have the comfort of knowing what to do when mouth sores happen!