Do you have clear, blood or water blisters in your mouth? What might be the cause? May it have resulted from canker sores, cold sores, allergic reaction, oral thrush, vitamin deficiency, smoking tobacco, alcohol abuse or underlying body conditions? Get insights on the causes of blisters in mouth for both adults and children, treatment and remedies.
Blisters inside your mouth varies in appearance and size depending on the cause. They can occur as a single or a multiple of blisters.
The size also varies from smaller to larger blister. Some blisters are painful, inflamed or has a burning sensation that can make it difficult to chew and swallow food comfortably. This can lead to dehydration or under nutrition.
Mouth blisters may appear to be clear, blood-filled or water-filled. Some are red while others can have a white coating when they appear on certain parts of the mouth like tongue due to dead cells, food particles and other debris.
What Causes Blood Blisters in Mouth?
There are various causes that can result to such blisters that includes the following:
- Food allergies
Did you know that blisters inside your mouth can result from food allergies? There are some foods that can trigger an allergic reaction when taken. Taking acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits are likely to cause blisters on the oral cavities.
The other foods that can stimulate blisters in the mouth includes peanuts, chocolate, strawberries, coffee, cheese, wheat flour and almond. Food allergies is also characterized with other symptoms including sneezing, vomiting, runny nose and skin rashes.
- Canker sores
Canker sores are also known as mouth ulcers or aphthous ulcers. They are open blisters that appears on the lips, inside cheeks, tongue, floor of the mouth and other parts of the oral cavities. They are very painful and can make it difficult to speak, eat, drink or chew comfortably.
Although the cause of mouth ulcers is unknown, the risk of getting this condition increases if you are having a family history of canker sores.
Some researchers believe that mouth ulcers is caused by emotional or mental stress, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, weak immune system, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, injuries to the oral cavities and having other conditions like viral infections.
- Certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Deficiency of vitamin B-12, zinc and iron can result to annoying blisters in mouth. Vitamins plays a very big role in metabolic activities to release energy. Therefore its deficiencies can also leads to other problems like weakened immune system
Take foods that are rich in vitamin B and C that includes fruits, fresh vegetables, milk, and eggs, paltry meat and fish. Taking vitamin supplements can also help to get rid of blisters in your mouth as well as boosting your body immune system.
- Oral cancer
Is blistering of your mouth cancerous? Mouth cancer can also result to blisters on the tongue, throat, inside cheeks, lips, floor and roof of the mouth. It is recommended to make an appointment with your healthcare provider when having red patches, ulcers or lumps on the lining of your mouth.
There are various factors that increases the risk of developing mouth cancer. They includes the following: smoking or using smokeless tobacco, smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol and having human papilloma virus that causes genital warts.
The good news is that, when oral cancer is discovered early, the chance of survival are higher. Unfortunately, many people discovers when it’s already in the secondary stage. However it can be treated using surgery to remove the affected cells, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
- Oral herpes
Oral herpes is also among the major causes of blisters in mouth and tongue. This infection is caused by herpes simplex 1 virus [HSV-1]. In rare cases, it can result from herpes simplex 2 virus [HSV-2]. It causes painful sores to appear on the tongue, roof of mouth, gums, and lips and inside the cheeks.
It is a highly contagious infection that is spread through direct body to body contact during oral sex when kissing, vaginal sex or anal sex. This infection is characterized by various symptoms that includes tingling, burning sensation or itchiness at the affected sites prior to appearance of the sores.
This infection normally clears on its own within 7-10 days. However, to speed up the healing process and alleviate the symptoms, you can take anti-viral medicines like acyclovir. Don’t hesitate to call your doctor when experiencing severe symptoms like drowsiness, excessive dehydration and excessive pain.
- Stress
Mental, emotional or physical stress and anxiety are also the common causes of blisters in the mouth. Stress can also trigger other conditions like canker sores that causes blistering of the oral cavities. Such blisters are temporary and usually heals when stress is relieved.
It is advisable to practice some of stress management tips when you feel your body is under pressure. Some of them includes; having enough time to rest or sleep, avoid holding on issues that are beyond your control for so long. Listening to quality music can also help to relieve stress.
- Health conditions
Blisters in mouth can be symptomatic to various underlying health conditions. They will keep on re-occurring until when the underlying cause it treated. It is recommended to get diagnosed to find out the cause of the sore before treatment. Some of the underlying health conditions includes the following:
- Reactive arthritis. This is a condition caused when your body reacts to any infection. It will therefore result to several blisters in your mouth that may disappear after some time.
- Celiac disease. This refers to the side effects of your body reaction to gluten. Eruption of blisters on the oral cavities is among the outcome of this condition.
- Crohn’s disease. This is an internal condition that causes inflammation of the digestive track including the stomach and gut. It can lead to appearance of blisters on back of tongue, inside cheeks, floor and roof of mouth.
- Immunodeficiency disorders. Diseases like diabetes and HIV that weakens the immune system can also trigger appearance of blisters in mouth.
- Lichen planus. This is an infection that causes irritation of the mouth tissues. It can result to several blisters or rash to appear on the affected areas.
Having regularly clinical checkups for diagnosis and treatment of this conditions can help to prevent annoying blisters that develops inside your mouth frequently.
- Mouth burns
Consuming very hot food or drinks without checking the temperature is the major cause of blisters inside mouth among children and some adults. The size of such blisters will depend on the type and cause of burning. Chemical and electrical burns requires immediate treatment as they may damage the internal tissues.
- Hand-foot-and-mouth disease
This is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through direct body contact with infected surfaces and feces. This infection is characterized with blisters or sore in the mouth, rash on hands and soles of feet, headache, fever, and loss of appetite, sore throat and irritations.
- Leukoplakia
Are you having white patches on the tongue and inside cheeks? These patches or sores can result from leukoplakia. This condition results from smoking and other irritations in the mouth. It is characterized with white or grey sores and thick, hard bumps.
Are Blood Blisters in Mouth Contagious?
Blood blisters develops when the blood vessel present in your oral cavities ruptures. It will therefore make an appearance of a zit that is filled with blood. Such blisters are very painful especially when they get infected. They can cause difficulties during speech, chewing and swallowing food.
Some of the blood blisters normally heals on their own without treatment while others may require diagnosis and treatment. We will discuss later on some of the remedies you can use to ease the pain as well as boosting the healing process.
Blood blisters are caused by most of the conditions that we have discussed above that includes allergic reactions, canker sores, cold sores or fever blisters, hand, foot and mouth disease, mouth cancer, vitamins and minerals deficiency, human papillomavirus, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking tobacco and other underlying body conditions.
Some of the causes like mouth cancer are life threatening conditions. It causes overgrowth of the affected cells. It requires an immediate diagnosis and treatment. The chances of a successful treatment are higher when discovered early.
What does Water Blisters in Mouth mean?
Water or clear blisters can also appear on different parts of your mouth. Some of the clear blisters can be painless while others painful depending on the cause. They can appear on the lips, inside the cheeks, floor or roof of the mouth and on the tongue.
Mucous cyst are the common cause of painless blisters that contain a clear fluid. These cyst are believed to result from sucking of the lip membrane between your teeth. Although they are painless but they can be bothersome especially when encountering them for the first time.
They are harmless and normally heals on their own. You can also develop permanent mucous cyst on the lip. They are given a different name when they appear on other part of the mouth apart from the lips. When they appear on the gums, they are referred to as epulis and ranula when on the floor of the mouth.
Avoid opening such blisters by yourself, you may expose them to infections. It is advisable to visit your dentist to remove then in case they are bothersome.
Clear blisters in mouth can also result from various infections like cold sores. Mostly, they normally appear on the lip. You will start by experiencing a tingling or a burning sensation on the affected areas prior to occurrence of the blister.
There is no treatment for this viral infection. The only way is to allow them run their course that normally last between 7-10 days. However, you can alleviate the symptoms by taking anti-viral drugs like acyclovir.
Meaning of Blisters on Roof of Mouth
Do you have blisters on the roof of mouth? The roof of the mouth is made of two components, the hard palate and the soft palate. The hard palate is located on the front of the mouth roof while the soft palate is at the back. There is various reasons that can result to blistering of this part of the mouth. They include the following:
- Burning mouth syndrome
Burning mouth syndrome causes a burning sensation at the roof the mouth that can lead to blistering. Although the actual cause of this condition is unknown, it can be triggered by excessive dryness of the mouth and other infections like oral thrush. This condition is common among post-menopausal women.
It causes severe irritation especially in the morning and eases at the end of the day. The irritations can be alleviated by taking ice cold drinks like yogurt. However you can also use other remedies to alleviate the symptoms or discomforts.
- Mouth infections
Different bacterial and viral infections can also result to sores on the roof of your mouth. Mouth contains numerous bacteria and other pathogenic micro-organisms that can cause mouth infections especially under poor oral healthcare.
The common infections includes common cold, tonsillitis and sinusitis among others. It is recommended to visit your healthcare provider for examination and treatment when having such infections. However, consuming soft foods and food rich in vitamin B and C can help to soothe the sores and well as fastening the healing process.
- Burns from hot foods and chemicals
Burning is among the major causes of blisters in mouth. Drinking hot beverages without testing the temperature can scald the roof of your mouth. Chemical contacts with your mouth can also lead to burning that requires emergency treatment since it can also affect the internal body tissues.
The areas that are burnt can become sensitive to touch and blisters may occur. Eating spicy, salty and acidic foods can cause irritation to such sores. Immediately after burning your mouth roof, try to combat it by taking ice cold drinks to prevent further damage. Avoid alcohol and other irritants until when it heals.
- Mouth cancer
Mouth cancer can affect various parts of the mouth including the roof. Cancerous growth can develop on both the hard palate and the soft palate. It may also spread to the surrounding areas if not treated immediately. The risk of developing mouth cancer increases when smoking tobacco or using smokeless tobacco, excessive exposure to the sun rays and having a family history of cancer.
Make an appointment to see your doctor when you notice unusual growth in your mouth that are persistence and bleeds easily. Treatment involves surgery to remove the affected parts, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
- Oral ulcers
The actual cause of oral ulcers is unknown although it can be triggered by minor injuries in the mouth, mouth infections, weakened immune system and excessive dehydration. It can lead to various blisters on the roof of the mouth and other parts.
Oral ulcers causes a very painful sores that causes it difficult to chew and swallow food comfortably. Minor oral ulcers normally heals on its own within 7 to 10 days. However, you can use some of the home remedy treatments to speed up the healing process.
- Cold sore
Cold sores are also known as fever blisters. It is a viral infection caused by herpes simplex virus 1. It causes appearance of blisters on the roof the mouth, inside cheeks, tongue and floor of the mouth. Although they are painful but eating hot, spicy, salty and acidic foods can increase the irritations.
Reasons for Blood Blisters on Gums
Blisters in mouth can also appear on the gums. Canker sores and mouth ulcers are the major causes of sores on different parts of the oral tissues. Such blisters are whitish in color with a red base. They may occur as a single or a multiple of sores on the gums.
Smoking tobacco can also result to painful sores on the gums. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that are harmful to your health. Smoking also increases the risk of developing other diseases like mouth cancer that results to sores on different parts of your mouth.
Hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause increases blood supply to the gums. This can cause them to become swollen, sensitive or develop blood blisters. The gums may also bleed shortly few days before the menstrual periods.
Gum infections can also lead to blisters that look like a pimple and it may drain pus. This happens when the root of your teeth has a bacterial infection. This can result from trauma or decay to the tooth that causes a nerve to die. This problem requires a dentist examination and treatment.
Can you get Blood Blisters in Throat?
There are numerous reasons as to why you may develop blisters in your throat. The common causes includes a cold, strep throat and an allergy. An allergic reaction is characterized with symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, cough, watery eyes and swollen lymph nodes.
Blisters in your throat can also result from coxsackievirus. This virus is responsible for a number of infections that includes:
- This is a common childhood infection that is characterized with blisters-like ulcers in the throat and at the roof of the mouth. It also causes other symptoms like sudden fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, drooling, vomiting, neck pain, sore throat and loss of appetite.
- Hand-foot-and-mouth disease. This is an infection that commonly affects children also it can also affect adults. It is characterized with blisters in the mouth, fever and rash on hands and feet soles.
- Hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. This is an infection the affects the eyes.
The other causes includes bacterial and viral infections like cold, strep throat or tonsillitis. This infection may cause a sore throat and sometimes blisters at the back of the throat.
Blisters in Mouth in Children
Is your child having blisters inside mouth? There are a number of reasons that may cause blisters to appear in the mouth of your child, infant or toddler. The common causes includes mouth ulcers, cold sores, tooth abscesses, mucoceles, eruptive cysts, tooth infections and hand foot and mouth disease among other conditions.
The blisters may be characterized with other symptoms like pain, inflammation or a burning sensation. This may cause your child to have difficulties in feeding and can lead under-nutrition or dehydration. It is important to give your child cold drinks and foods at a regular interval during the blistering period.
Some of the condition requires a doctor’s examination and treatment. It is therefore advisable to take your child to the nearest clinic for treatment. He or she will be give some painkillers to relieve the pain and other treatment depending on the cause.
How do you Treat Blisters in your Mouth
Blisters that are caused by serious conditions may require a medical treatment to get rid of them while those caused by minor conditions normally heals on their own without treatment. However, to speed up the healing process, alleviate the symptoms and prevent infection using the following treatments.
- Gargle saline solution in your mouth. It helps to prevent bacterial infections as well as reducing the swelling. Prepare the solution by mixing 1 tablespoon of sea salt in a glass of warm water.
- Hydrogen peroxide is also effective in disinfecting the blisters. Mix 3% of hydrogen peroxide with equal amount of water. Use a cotton ball to dab the solution on the affected areas. Allow the solution to sit in your mouth for 20 seconds before rinsing with water.
- Apply some ice chips in your mouth or suck on them. It helps to reduce inflammations by numbing the affected areas as well as reducing the swelling.
- Use a high quality alcohol free mouthwash to clean your mouth twice daily to kill the bacteria that can cause an infection. Alcohol mouthwash is effective for killing bacteria but it can irritate the blisters.
- Lemon juice is also effective on how to get rid of mouth blisters overnight. Although it will cause some irritations, but be sure to see fast results.
- Take over-the-counter medicines to reduce the pain and other discomforts. Some of them includes acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin and numbing gel. Children are not supposed to take aspirin as it can cause some complications.
- Aloe Vera is also effective remedy for mouth ulcers. It contain both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that helps to prevent infections and alleviates the pain. Rinse your mouth using aloe Vera gel 2-3 times a day.
- Take cool and soft foods and drinks that does not cause irritation to the sores. Avoid taking spicy, acidic or salty foods and beverages. Acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits may also trigger blisters in mouth.
- Consume foods that are rich in vitamin B-12, folate and zinc such as fresh vegetables, citrus fruits, poultry, meat, strawberries and fish among others. Alternatively you can take vitamins and mineral supplements.
- Baking soda is also effective on how to get rid of mouth blisters fast, especially those that results from oral ulcers. Add baking soda with few drops of water to make a paste and apply directly on the blisters.
- Extract some fresh juice from coriander leaves and drink several times a day. It contains anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antifungal properties that reduces inflammations and guards the blisters against bacterial and fungal infections.
- Swish 1 tablespoon of honey in your mouth. It has both antiseptic and antibacterial properties that guards the blisters against infections. Honey also has a soothing properties that decreases the discomforts associated with the blisters.
- Rinse your mouth using sage solution. This is a natural herb that helps to relieve pain, inflammations or a burning sensation. You simply add three tablespoon of sage leaves in a glass of hot water. Allow the solution to cool before rinsing your mouth.
- Visit your healthcare provider for treatment. When having persistence blisters inside your mouth, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to determine the cause and for treatment.