What causes sore on roof of mouth? Get insights on causes painful bumps, blisters and sores on roof of mouth, how to treat and get rid.
The two main component of what anatomists call the mouth’s roof are the hard palate and the soft palate. The hard palate is the flat bony parcel that composes the front part of our mouth’s roof, dividing it from the nasal conduct.
The soft palate, on the other hand, is located at the back of the roof of the mouth, made up of soft tissue instead of bone. There are some reasons that could make the roof of mouth become painful. Which is very discomfort able, recurrent but generally not too insistent or intense. However, there are some series of practices that a person could use to alleviate the pain.
What Causes Sore on Roof of Mouth
Here are possible causes:
Hot foods
You need to be careful when you eat in order to avoid aggravating or contracting roof of mouth sore. Eating hot food can burn your mouth, which is usually a common cause of sore on roof of mouth. Since your palate is very delicate, it can be easily harmed by hot beverages such as coffee, tea, or melted cheese in pizzas or lasagnas.
Treatment advice: immediately cool the palate with cold water to prevent more damage. If you are burnt, give the roof top some time on its own and also avoid spicy foods.
Mouth infection
Bacterial and viral infection may cause sore on roof of mouth. The mouth is a particularly good place for bacteria and virus proliferation due to its humidity and the accumulated food sediments. Common colds, sinusitis, tonsillitis and more other common infections will result to your palate and throat hurt.
Treatment advice: visit your physician for diagnoses. Antibiotic will be prescribed if necessary. Eat food rich in vitamin B and vitamin C will help you to speed up the healing process.
Cold sore
It is also known as fever blisters, are particularly unpleasant and usually causes sore on roof of mouth. If you are experiencing fever blister, although it will probably be painful or irritating all day long, it may also get worse especially when you eat spicy or acidic foods, this types of flavors will may end up irritating the sore.
Treatment advice: cold sore usually disappears on its own, but also you can use some over-the-counter drugs will accelerate the process.
Canker sore
In most cases, if a tissue is damaged because of burns, scratch or if the tissue is exposed to bacteria, canker sore may occur. Compared to cold sore, canker sore is not contagious and it does not appear on the lips. But it can be painful and cause uneasy in eating and talking.
Treatment advice: canker sore can go away in a week or so by its own. You can also talk to your doctor to prescribe mouth rinse which contains a steroid-dexamethasone, or an antibiotic.
Reasons for Painful Sore on Roof of Mouth
Roof of your mouth is what is described as the palate. A lot of people goes through pain in their palate making the condition a common find despite the fact that the causes might differ.
In some cases, it is associated by sores or burning feelings and raised skin structures in the taste buds. There are some times when the symptoms become apparent especially when you eat spicy or hot foods or even when you awaken after you have been snoring. You can be able to identify the symptoms underlying causes.
Causes of Painful sores
Burning mouth syndrome
However, this is not a serious matter, the burning mouth syndrome has been known to trigger pain on your palate. In the main time, the reason for this syndrome is not yet identified, it has actually started to happen when your mouth sensory nerves spread false information. Anemia and oral yeast have also been linked to the event of this syndrome. If the pain has been triggered by yeast infection, it is recommended to treat it urgently to avoid more serious conditions.
Treatment includes:
- Products for saliva replacement
- Behavioral therapy
- Oral mouth rinses or lidocaine
- Nerve pain obstructing medications
- Certain anti-depressants and more
Mouth infection
There are number of infections that can cause pain on your palate and the pain will fade up when the infection has been treated. These infections can either be bacterial or oral, and they make the palate sore once contaminated. Strep throat, sinus infection, staph, gingivostomatitis, thrush, cold, including others relevant microbial infections are mostly the reasons that your palate region might develop pain. Visit your dermatologist for checkup. As soon as you undergo the test, some prescription antibiotics will be recommended if the doctor finds that they are essential to heal the infection.
Sore on Roof of Mouth won’t heal
There are different types of mouth sores that can develop around on in the mouth. Some can appear with much pain, some are unsightly and some may be a sign of something more serious. If your sore on roof of mouth won’t heal within 10 days, you should seek your dentist advice. If you suspect that you have an infection, consult your dentist as soon as possible.
Signs and symptoms
- Candidiasis- it is also known as thrush, this is a fungal infection that appears in the mouth or throat due to an overgrowth of yeast. Symptoms include white spots inside the mouth or on the tongue, sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
- Canker sore- these are tiny white or yellowish center lesions with a red border. They usually develop in the mouth on the tongue, inside cheeks areas, lips, and gum line and throat area. They are not contagious.
- Tooth abscess- this develops when there is bacterial infection in the nerve of the tooth. Symptoms of a tooth abscess include severe toothache with much pain, sensitivity to hot and cold beverages or food, fever or even swollen lymph nodes.
Note: open sores that won’t go away within a week or two can also be a sign of oral cancer. A doctor or dentist visit is recommended.
Sore on Roof of Mouth Behind Teeth
Palate or the taste buds is one of the most important part of the mouth of a person. Without an adequately working palate, you will experience a tough time enjoying your food as it will be tasteless.
Sore palate or sore on roof of the mouth is one such condition in which the palate becomes sore or inflamed resulting in them not to work properly. Anatomically speaking, there are two types of palate which are the hard palate and the soft palate.
The hard palate forms the front part of the roof of a person’s mouth, and the soft palate is located behind the roof of the mouth and is made of tissues unlike the hard palate which is made up of bones. Sore palate or sore on roof of the mouth is a common condition and there are many reasons for it, from as common as eating hot and spicy food to may be some type of boil around the palate region.
Sore palate or sore on roof of mouth caused due to burning mouth syndrome. This is a condition that usually develops after eating food very late. It is a very unpleasant discomfort which one feels after having food very late. It may make the palate sore along with giving a feeling of burning in the throat and mouth which may last for hours.
Burning mouth syndrome characterized by a burning sensation on the roof of the mouth, gum, inside of cheeks and also behind teeth and other areas inside the mouth may also cause this soreness. At times, severe pain on roof of mouth especially behind teeth due to the presence of a mouth ulcer or a sore even it may also be indicative of palate cancer. The condition is usually painless in the beginning.
Causes and treatments
Irritating substances- using substances that are irritating to the flesh can cause the roof of the mouth to become inflamed. Foods that are sharp can scratch the tissue, resulting to discomfort. Spicy foods or foods that are extremely hot or too cold also can cause the damage, leading to swelling or pain.
Tobacco use can also damage the tissue, leading to discomfort behind teeth. Once tissue becomes agitated, restrict your diet to bland foods with moderate temperatures to limit the risk of causing further until your mouth has a chance to heal.
Dental issues– if a tooth on the top of your mouth has become infected, it can put pressure on the palate behind the gum line. A tooth abscess can cause ulcers or an infection to develop which may spread to the roof of the mouth or behind teeth if it is not treated.
Wearing ill=fitting dentures or an oral device can cause the roof of the mouth to become irritated as well. Visit your dentist for a check-up to determine the cause of your discomfort. You may also need to have dental work performed or another oral device made to help alleviate the pain you are experiencing on the sore on roof of mouth.
Infections- if your body has come into contact with bacteria or a virus such as streptococcal sore throat, the common cold, tonsillitis, sinusitis or others you may develop pain on the roof of the mouth as the infection takes hold. This can be caused by sinus pressure pushing on the mouth or bacteria irritating the flesh inside the mouth. Consuming foods that are high in B and C vitamins can help infected sores in the mouth heal more quickly.
Burning the tissue- drinking excessively hot beverages can scald the roof of the mouth. Eating hot or spicy foods may also irritate the flesh on the roof of the mouth. Afterward the palate may feel sensitive to the touch or a blister may form behind the teeth.
This can last for several days after the initial burn. Cooling the palate right away when it becomes agitated can help prevent damage from becoming excessive. So cold liquids slowly and swish them towards the area that has been scalded. Until the area has had a chance to heal, avoid allowing food to make contact with the burned area and limit your intake of spicy, sharp or otherwise irritating foods.
Canker Sore on Roof of Mouth
Canker sores can develop on the roof of the mouth. These can be caused by exposure to bacteria or when the tissue becomes damaged due to a scratch or burn. Canker sores will begin as a red mark on the roof of the mouth, but will slowly fill in with white or yellow pus.
Be careful not to open this sore as this can spread the bacteria inside, increasing your risk of forming more sores. Canker sores usually disappears after a few days. In the meantime, avoid making contact with the sore as much as possible.
Canker sores medication that can help reduce the pain is available at most pharmacies. You can also apply salt or baking soda to the sore to help kill the infection, be aware this can be painful.
- Minor canker sores: majority of all canker sores are oval, yellowish or grayish colored lesions with a white center and a red edge or border, between 2-10 mm up to 1/3 inch in size. The affected lip may swell. They are painful but clear up within 3 to 14 days without scarring. It is unusual for them to become infected.
- Major canker ulcers: similar appearance to minor aphthous ulcers, but are larger more than 10 mm greater than 1/3 inch in diameter. They are extremely painful and may take a month or longer to heal. Frequently leave a scar.
- Additional symptoms: canker sore on roof of mouth may be fever, physical sluggishness and swollen lymph nodes. And if not treated, canker sores usually come back. Some people have a few outbreaks a year, while others can have them almost all the time.
Red Sore on Roof of Mouth
Red sores on the roof of your mouth can be caused by a variety of different reasons. Some are just minor inconvenience, while others could be a sign of a more serious health issue that may require further investigation.
Coxsackievirus
The virus behind hand, foot and mouth disease, this virus can cause painful blisters and red sores on the roof of the mouth, as well as on the hands and feet. It is most common in children under 5 years of age, but does occur in people of all ages. Treatment options include over-the-counter medications for fever and pain, as well as special medicated mouthwashes to help alleviate the discomfort accompanied by oral sores.
In some cases, oral sores or lesions can be a sign of oral cancer, so it is very important to be checked by your doctor especially if you have any sport or ulcers in mouth that are painful, cause difficulty in eating or drinking or even not healed by the given time. Besides, allergic reactions to foods like sea food, peanut butter, nuts, wheat products etc. may also give rise to red sore on roof of mouth.
How to Get Rid of Sore on Roof of Mouth
When not caused by any serious ailments or injuries, sores on roof of mouth tend to heal by themselves within 10 to 12 days. Taking antibiotics can help reduce severe pain on the roof of mouth caused by bacterial sinus infection.
Conventional medicines containing glycerin and peroxide are generally considered beneficial for curing mouth sores causing problem. In terms of home remedies, rinsing the mouth with a strong tea prepared from goldenseal root can also help reduce this problem considerably due to its antiseptic properties.
In the same way, the simplest means of cold sore on roof of the mouth treatment is the application of wet black tea bag on the affected area. Gargling with aloe Vera juice also serves as a good natural remedy.
There are many ways of combating sore on roof of mouth. Some are natural, others are not. You can choose from the following options:
Use baking soda
- Baking soda for pain relief is an old, natural home remedy for every person. In order to greatly alleviate the pain, baking soda should be applied over your palate gently. Do this 3 times a day for 2 or 3 days to cure your roof of mouth sore.
Eat yogurt
Yogurt is another good option, its cooling action is very useful for reducing sore on roof of the mouth, especially after eating spicy food. Besides, yogurt can help relieve mouth infection and mouth thrush which may also be the cause of sore on roof of the mouth.
Have food rich in vitamins
We have been taught very much about vitamins, vitamin C and B are particularly good at making wounds heal faster and pain vanish quickly. Vitamins assist our overall immune system, while helping repair body parts that are suffering any sort of problem, including roof of mouth sore.
Maintain a bland diet
Disregarding the cause of your malaise, foster a bland diet will definitely reduce your pain and improve your condition. Above all, try to avoid acidic and spicy foods, such as citrus fruits, tomato, tomato-based sauces, carbonated soft drinks, chili, and salsa many more. These foods can greatly aggravate your pain.
Other home remedies
Your house is likely full of stuff that could greatly help you with your roof of mouth sore or pain
- Gargle with cold or salty water, or eat an ice pop provide great relief.
- Drinking milk can soothe the painful mouth roof.
- Simply chewing your food slowly will do its job as well.
- Using a soft toothbrush and applying fluocononide gel over the palate will also help.
- Over the counter painkillers are very effective for healing sore on roof of the mouth.
When to seek medical help
Even though roof of mouth sore can die out easily, you might want to visit a doctor if:
- You have tried these home remedies, but the pain is not eased
- Your symptoms persists for 2 weeks or more
- Pain is unbearable and/or spreading
- It has become difficult to eat or drink fluid.