Contents
What is stomatitis
Stomatitis is an inflammation of the oral mucosa. Its characteristic signs are redness and swelling with the formation of mouth sores or blistering rashes.
What you need to know about stomatitis
| Types | candidal, aphthous, herpetic, etc. |
| Symptoms | painful sores on the mucous membrane of the cheeks, gums, salivation, fever |
| Which doctor treats | stomatologist |
| How is it diagnosed | based on complaints, anamnesis and examination |
Causes of stomatitis in adults
With stomatitis at least once faced each of us. This disease occurs with the same frequency in children and adults, but at an early age, due to the rapid regeneration of tissues, it passes much faster. Stomatitis is easy to identify by the appearance of itchy sores or erosions (there may be several and different sizes) on the inner surface of the cheek, tongue or gums.
“The causes of stomatitis can be very different,” says dentist Rezeda Nigmatullina, – This may be non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene, and the use of a poor-quality toothbrush with too hard bristles that scratches the mucous membrane, and excessive passion for salty, spicy and sour foods, and ill-fitting dentures, braces and crowns, and passion for mouth rinses , which can disrupt the natural microflora. If you often bite your lip or the inner surface of your cheeks, you also run the risk of getting stomatitis.
Stomatitis in adults can be a symptom of any disease or inflammatory process that develops in the body. Stomatitis can occur with beriberi or weakened immunity, with severe stress and after taking antibiotics, with anemia and diabetes, and even with helminth infection!
In about 70% of cases, stomatitis in adults occurs after tooth extraction, when the microflora in the mouth is disturbed, and antibiotics are applied on top. If careful oral hygiene is not followed, then plaque can turn into tartar, which is the cause of not only stomatitis, but also periodontitis and periodontitis.
Symptoms of stomatitis in adults
As a rule, stomatitis in adults does not cause much discomfort at first. A person may feel a burning or swelling in the mouth, then an itchy sore appears, which hurts and is irritated when brushing your teeth and chewing solid food.
The ulcer can be bright red or covered with a thin white or grayish film, usually round or oval in shape, with smooth edges. If left untreated, a person may develop bad breath or bleed gums. In especially advanced cases, a person may complain of severe pain even with a sip of water.
– If you start inflammation, complications can begin. The patient may have a fever, disturbed sleep, he cannot eat normally and becomes irritable, says the dentist.
Types of stomatitis in adults
According to the degree of flow and the nature of the mucosal lesion, stomatitis in adults is divided into catarrhal, aphthous and ulcerative forms.
Catarrhal (superficial) form of stomatitis considered the easiest – it does not cause serious discomfort, does not affect the deep mucous membrane and quickly passes during treatment. With catarrhal stomatitis, ulcers do not occur, the mucous membrane swells and becomes red, a white coating appears on the tongue. Salivation increases, bad breath may appear.
“The causes of catarrhal stomatitis are most often poor oral hygiene, the presence of caries or plaque and calculus, too aggressive composition of toothpaste or rinse, a passion for very hot or cold drinks and food,” says the dentist-therapist.
Aphthous stomatitis begins with a small transparent bubble, which quickly bursts and forms aphthae – small whitish or grayish erosions, covered with a thin film and with a red border around the edges.
– Often aphthous stomatitis in adults flows into a chronic form and manifests itself in relapses in spring and autumn, when immunity falls, the body is weakened, – explains Reseda Nigmatullina.
Ulcerative stomatitis – the most severe form, because in advanced cases it can cause tissue death (necrosis). Most often it affects the gums, which are covered with a grayish coating with an unpleasant odor. If it is removed, this area begins to bleed. A person may have a fever, swollen cervical lymph nodes, pain in the mouth becomes so severe that he even refuses to eat. After healing, ulcers can leave deep scars.
Due to the occurrence of stomatitis are divided into:
Mechanical (traumatic) stomatitis – when you bite the mucosa, it is injured by a sharp chipped edge of the tooth, a poorly fitted crown or braces, an improperly selected toothbrush. If an infection does not join the inflammation, then when the cause is eliminated, it quickly and without a trace passes.
Herpetic stomatitis in adults it is quite common, since so many are carriers of the herpes virus. With healthy immunity, it does not manifest itself in any way, but with weakened immunity, prolonged hypothermia, severe stress, or exacerbation of any chronic disease, it can manifest itself in the form of stomatitis. Herpetic stomatitis in adults looks like multiple blisters on the mucous membrane of the lips that burst, forming an itchy erosive area.
candidal stomatitis in adults occurs with very weakened immunity, because fungi of the genus Candida live in the body of every person, but manifest themselves with a general weakening of the body or prolonged use of antibiotics, less often after close contact with another patient. It is easy to recognize candidal stomatitis – it manifests itself in the form of a whitish cheesy plaque on the oral mucosa.
Bacterial stomatitis in adults, they cause staphylococci, streptococci and gonococci, which affect the oral cavity and nasopharynx. Stomatitis, as a rule, is a concomitant disease with tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media and other diseases.
Allergic stomatitis may appear as a reaction to certain medications or to external allergens. The patient complains of hyperemia of the oral mucosa, rash and itching, and sores appear much less frequently. When the cause (allergen) is eliminated, stomatitis disappears within a couple of days.
Treatment of stomatitis in adults
Medical preparations
Treatment of stomatitis at home is carried out with local antiseptics, means to accelerate tissue regeneration. If necessary, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or antiviral drugs to treat mouth sores.
– Complex preparations with analgesic, anti-inflammatory and healing properties have proven themselves well: for example, Holisal or Kamistad gels. They are prescribed for a variety of types of stomatitis and very quickly allow you to reduce redness and swelling of tissues, remove soreness, and prevent the attachment of a secondary infection. It is enough to smear the affected areas with a thin layer 2-3 times a day for 10 days, the dentist advises.
Antiseptic sprays such as Ingalipt or Chlorophyllipt, which contain an extract of eucalyptus leaves, a powerful natural anesthetic and antiseptic, help to quickly remove unpleasant symptoms. The mouth should be irrigated at least 3-5 times a day for 7-10 days.
Folk remedies
Stomatitis in adults is also treated with the help of folk remedies. For example, to remove swelling and redness, you can rinse your mouth with infusion of chamomile or calendula. Rinse should be done 2-3 times a day and continue for a week until the symptoms disappear completely.
Rinsing with soda and salt helps to relieve inflammation (a teaspoon of soda and salt per liter of warm boiled water, 200 ml of solution is enough for one rinse). Aloe juice helps to relieve pain, relieve inflammation and speed up the healing of sores in the mouth – they need to treat the affected area 2-3 times a day for about a week. Sea buckthorn oil, which can be purchased at any pharmacy, also has good healing properties. Compresses are made with it on the affected area or simply treated with a cotton swab several times a day.
“If the symptoms of stomatitis do not go away within 10 days or the patient’s condition worsens, you should immediately seek medical advice to avoid serious consequences,” advises Reseda Nigmatullina. – It is impossible to cauterize stomatitis at home with brilliant green, iodine or alcohol, since you can earn a mucosal burn.
Prevention of stomatitis in adults
Prevention of stomatitis in adults is quite simple: you need to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, limit the consumption of sour, spicy, smoked foods, give up bad habits, and avoid too hot or icy drinks and dishes. To avoid injuries of the oral cavity and keep the teeth intact, it is better not to chew on nuts and hard candy. If a tooth breaks and scratches the cheek with sharp ends, you should immediately consult a dentist.
– In general, regular visits to the dentist are already prevention of stomatitis. If caries is treated in time, tartar is removed, there will be fewer pathogenic microbes in the mouth that cause inflammation. Do not forget to change your toothbrush every three months, do not get carried away with antibacterial toothpastes and rinses, so as not to disturb the microflora. And, of course, take care of your health and immunity, advises the dentist.
Popular questions and answers
Answered questions about stomatitis Rezeda Nigmatullina, a dentist.
When is it necessary to see a doctor?
Ideally, you should consult a doctor in any case. The dentist will conduct an examination, determine the cause and form of stomatitis, assess the severity of the course of the disease, prescribe an effective treatment that will quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms, and also tell you how to care for the oral cavity so that stomatitis does not return.