Your oral health encompasses several different areas, from maintaining a cavity-free smile to caring for the soft tissue inside your mouth. Even if you are prudent about cleaning your teeth, lesions can still develop. If you notice a consistent problem, you should visit a dentist immediately to receive treatment. However, you may not know much about this common oral issue, and below is more information to help you understand how lesions form and what problems they can cause.

What Are Lesions?

Mouth lesions—also known as canker sores—create an open wound on the soft tissue inside your mouth. They can appear anywhere, including the inside of the lips and cheeks, as well as on the bottom of your mouth and back of your throat. While they are not an emergency issue, they can be painful and increase your risk of an oral infection if they persist. You will notice them because they take on a bright red color and may begin to swell. Also, they will bleed or produce a stinging sensation when you eat.

Why Do They Form?

Lesions in your mouth can form for a variety of reasons, ranging from your diet to your overall health. For example, eating highly acidic, sour, or spicy foods will irritate the soft tissues of your mouth and create these open sores. Additionally, canker sores can develop when experiencing high fevers from seasonal viruses.

Broken teeth can also scratch and damage the inside of your mouth, creating these lesions. While rare, chronic lesions are an early indication of oral cancer, so you should have your dentist rule out this possibility by performing a biopsy and screening.

How Can a Dentist Help?

Canker sores typically resolve on their own, but may require the assistance of a dentist if an oral health issue is causing them to develop frequently. For example, if you notice that they seem to be appearing near a chipped tooth, your dentist can fill this rupture so that it doesn’t rub against the inside of your mouth. Also, they can check for infection if the sore doesn’t go away and shows signs of inflammation, fluid buildup, and decay.

Whether it’s a mouth sore or a loose filling, the team at Alliance Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Keller, TX, will attend to all your oral health needs. The dentists at this office provide preventative, diagnostic, and treatment services to help you maintain a healthy smile. They strive to create a welcoming environment so that you are always comfortable during the visit. To learn more about their practice, visit them online. Call (817) 741-2200 to schedule an appointment.