Can Stress Cause Mouth Ulcers

Foods That Cause Mouth Ulcers

• Foods That Cause Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers are common and mostly harmless sores that occur inside the mouth. However, anyone whos had one knows how unpleasant they are.

There are many things that cause these painful sores. Anxiety, stress, biting the inside of your cheek, and smoking are some typical reasons why you develop canker sores. What you eat is a huge contributor as well.

If you experience frequent mouth sores and they are not going away, this may have to do with your diet. Its important to visit a dentist that knows how to identify the source of your canker sore problem and offer fast treatment. This way, you can get some professional advice that is also personalized to you.

In the meantime, read on to find out what major foods can cause mouth ulcers.

New Research Connects Mental Health And Mouth Ulcers

Historically, researchers thought mouth ulcers were mostly a hereditary predisposition, but a recent study suggests a more complex genetic picture.

A team of international researchers gathered genes from nearly a half million people around the world. Their genes and other environmental factors were examined to see how they contributed to mouth ulcers.

In addition to having self-reported depression in common, researchers identified 97 common genes shared between those who experience mouth ulcers. This new pool of genetic data allows researchers to further investigate what influences this oral condition and how it can be treated.

Most of these genes had to do with the bodys immune system function. This suggests that the individuals developing mouth ulcers have similar genetic makeup that could be influencing their oral health.

This study is significant because it furthers the concept that our overall health including mental health – influences the health of our mouths, and vice versa.

What Are The Symptoms Of Canker Sores

Common canker sore symptoms include:

• One or more painful sores inside of your mouth. These ulcers may form on your tongue, the inside of your lips, your inner cheeks or the roof of your mouth.
• Burning or tingling sensations.
• Small, round ulcers that are white, gray or yellow with a red border.

In severe cases, you may also experience:

Canker sores may also be linked to nutritional deficiencies in vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid or iron.

You May Like: Can Ulcerative Colitis Cause Fever

Can Stress And Other Risk Factors Lead To Canker Sores

Of all the different types of mouth sores, canker sores might be the most mysterious. It isnt well understood why people get them. Canker sores develop on the inside of the mouth, cheeks and lips and on the tongue and gums. Although they arent contagious, the tingling pain can be unpleasant. If you have a canker sore, stress or anxiety could be a potential influence.

If you think your canker sores are connected to stress levels, learning to recognize and manage your triggers might help you avoid a flare-up.

Some Medications For Stress Can Cause Dry Mouth

Certain medications for stress are known to cause dry mouth, an issue that results from your saliva glands not producing enough saliva to keep your mouth moistened. This can lead to a number of oral health issues, such as tooth decay and discomfort while chewing or swallowing.

Have you been suffering from any of the above issues? Call Caputo Dental today to schedule an appointment in our Naperville office! Well make sure that your oral health is one less thing you need to stress about!

Since I was a child I have been very afraid of dentists. Dr. Caputo, and all of his staff, have taken away that fear. The receptionists call you by name and are very helpful in filling out forms and answering questions. I recommend Dr. Caputo’s office to anyone I know.

Theresa B., Google

Most people don’t enjoy going to the dentist, but when you walk in to the office there, the entire staff is so friendly and helpful you can’t help but feel at ease. I have been going to Dr. Caputo for the last five years and always feel that I’m taken care of. Thank you, everyone!

Jeremy B., Facebook

Another great dental check up with Dr. Caputo and his staff. Everyone is very friendly and efficient. I also appreciate Dr. Caputo performing an additional service for me today so that I would not have to make another appointment. Great office – highly recommend!

Michelle P., Google

You May Like: List Of Foods To Eat With Ulcerative Colitis

Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale

Patients are asked to choose one response from the four given for each interview. They should give an immediate response and be dissuaded from thinking too long about their answers. The questions relating to anxiety are marked âAâ, and to depression âDâ. The score for each answer is given in the right column.

What Does A Mouth Ulcer Look Like

Mouth ulcers are usually round or oval sores that commonly appear inside the mouth on the:

They can be white, red, yellow or grey in colour and swollen.

It’s possible to have more than one mouth ulcer at a time and they may spread or grow.

Mouth ulcers shouldn’t be confused with cold sores, which are small blisters that develop on the lips or around the mouth. Cold sores often begin with a tingling, itching or burning sensation around your mouth.

Read Also: Foods Safe For Ulcerative Colitis

Folate Deficiency And Anemia

A folate deficiency is caused by not having enough folate, also known as vitamin B9. Folate is an important B vitamin used to make and repair DNA. Its critical to proper development in embryos. Being deficient in folate can also lead to folate deficiency anemia.

Anemia occurs when your supply of red blood cells is too low. When your red blood cells are reduced, damaged, or impaired, you may have problems transporting enough oxygen throughout your body. It can have an impact on different organ systems in your body.

Both folate deficiency and anemia can cause mouth sores. While folate deficiency can cause anemia, other types of anemia, like iron deficiency anemia, can cause mouth sores as well. These sores may look like small mouth ulcers or canker sores and be white, gray, yellow, or red in color.

• gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcers, IBS, and cancer

Chronic anemia may be related to autoimmune diseases, inherited genetic conditions, overexposure to lead, and other conditions.

When Should I See My Doctor

You should see your GP if you think you might have an ulcer related to a mouth infection or disease.

Most mouth ulcers will heal by themselves within a week or two. If your mouth ulcers last longer than this or they keep coming back, see your doctor, as they may be a sign of a more serious problem.

Also, see your GP if you or your child develops severe mouth ulcers with symptoms of general illness such as:

• weight loss, stomach pain, unexplained fevers

This may indicate a health condition such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.

Don’t Miss: How To Heal Leg Ulcers

Jaw Pain Tension Or Clenching

In addition to grinding the teeth, someone under stress may clench their jaw muscles. If you do this, you may notice jaw pain, tension, or tenderness. This is often connected to bruxism, but not always. Other symptoms of clenching include tension headaches and facial pain.

Some people find that stress management techniques help them relax, and they clench their jaw less. Different people benefit from different techniques. Some find that daily exercise helps. Others find meditation and breathing exercises help them better manage stress. Whether you respond best to a warm bath or meditation, try to fit a little relaxation into your daily routine. This is even more crucial during stressful times and may even help prevent oral health issues.

Stimulants like caffeine or tobacco may exasperate jaw tension and bruxism. We always urge patients who smoke to quit this is just one more reason. If you drink caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, energy drinks, or soda, consider limiting them or quitting. Most of these beverages are also acidic and can weaken tooth enamel limiting them may have additional oral health benefits.

When Is It Time To See A Doctor

Most canker sores go away in time, and medical treatment is typically not necessary. However, more serious cases may require medical attention.

Consider seeing a doctor if your canker sore:

• Is unusually large
• Lasts longer than 10 days without any signs of healing
• Reaches your lip
• Causes fever and other symptoms

Though rare, recurring canker sores may be caused by a serious health issue. Your doctor can run tests to rule out other potential canker sore causes.

Also Check: How To Heal Ulcerative Colitis Flare

Mouth Ulcers Linked To Stress Anxiety Depression

August 8, 2019Shelby Tatomir

Studies prove that our oral health is tightly connected to our overall health. Researchers know theres a strong link between periodontal disease and our mood. Conditions like stress, distress, anxiety, depression and loneliness are linked with poorer oral health. The connections between our mental health and mouth ulcers, specifically, havent been explored thoroughly. That is, until a team of international researchers gathered genes from thousands of individuals around the world experiencing this oral condition. Their research has opened the door for further investigation into what causes mouth ulcers and why mouth ulcers develop on a genetic level.

What Causes Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers are referred to in the medical community as aphthous ulcers. Stress is a common cause of mouth ulcers, and a recent study points to the relationship between mental health and oral health. The researchers found a significant correlation between experiencing mouth ulcers and depressive symptoms.

Mouth ulcers are commonly caused by a minor injury to the mouth , food sensitivities, hormonal shifts, and inflammatory diseases. Generally, mouth ulcers will go away on their own within one or two weeks. If youve had a mouth ulcer for longer than two weeks, contact your dentist for an appointment to help identify and treat the cause.

Also Check: Ulcers In Small Bowel Crohn’s

What Are Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers, also known as aphthous ulcers or canker sores, are a type of sore that occurs on the inside of your mouth. They can feel uncomfortable, especially when you are talking, eating, drinking and brushing your teeth. In most cases, mouth ulcers are not dangerous and heal on their own. Around 1 in 5 people experience recurrent mouth ulcers.

Can Stress Cause Tooth Pain

So can stress cause toothaches? The answer is yes. Toothaches can form in a variety of ways. Poor diets, brought about by stress, lead to plaque buildup and, if left untreated, a cavity. Gum disease can develop in the long term.

Stress also brings about issues such as clenching and grinding the teeth. Temperomandibular disorders can cause jaw and tooth pain.

Recommended Reading: Foods To Avoid If You Have A Stomach Ulcer

Oral Conditions Caused By Stress

Stress can affect your oral health in a number of ways:

• Jaw issues,or disorders of the jaw joint or chewing muscles. These can cause pain around the ear or face.
• Teeth grinding,or bruxism. This can happen during the day, especially when you’re concentrating, or at night.
• Poor oral hygiene,caused by a lack of good brushing and flossing. If you’re too busy or forget to keep up with your dental hygiene, you can wind up with tooth decay and gum disease.
• Canker sores, which can be triggered by vitamin B deficiency and any type of mouth injury or irritation. Several studies now show that stress is another big trigger for canker sores.1
• Oral infections or sores,which may show up as ulcers, white lines, or white or red spots. These can be brought on by stress.

Talk to your health care provider about your symptoms.

You Could Potentially Suffer From Tmj Disorders

Frustration and stress can often lead you to clench your teeth. However, if this happens too often, it could actually cause some problems for your jaw and neck! TMJ disorders can be aggravating these jaw muscles that are used to clench your teeth. It can lead to pain in the jaw joint, popping and clicking sounds when you open your mouth or chew, and even difficulties with opening and closing your mouth.

Read Also: What Tests Are Done For Ulcerative Colitis

Stress Affects Your Whole Immune System

Stress weakens your immune system. Its simple and complex all at once. When you experience physical, mental, or emotional stress, your immune system struggles to properly fight antigens and invaders. This is why you always seem to become more susceptible to infections and illnesses when youre under intense stress.

Its also possible that stress drives you to make unhealthy choices that you wouldnt normally make during times of less stress. For example, stress often leads to drinking, smoking, poor eating habits, and lack of sleep.

Considering the serious implications of stress on your health, its easy to conclude that stress makes the body more vulnerable to canker sore outbreaks as well.

Stress Increases Your Risk Of Gingivitis And Gum Disease

Gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, is caused by bacteria that build up along your gum line. And when youre stressed, you release a hormone called cortisol, which can deplete your immune system and allow bacteria to thrive. These bacteria then wreak havoc on your gums, causing them to become inflamed. If this should go untreated for an extended period of time, you may be at risk for gum disease. Gum disease is quite serious, so if you find that youre gums may be unhealthy as of late, be sure to get them checked out right away before the issue can progress!

Recommended Reading: Do Tums Help Ulcerative Colitis

Is It Worth Going To A Dentist Because Of An Ulcer In My Mouth

As a general rule no.

In the majority of cases, a dentist will be of little use in curing a mouth ulcer or Canker Sore

However there are definitely cases where a mouth ulcer or Canker Sore warrants a visit to the dentist.

1) If an ulcer is larger than 2cm in diameter than it may require surgical removal by an oral surgeon or dermatologist.

These Giant Ulcers will likely be incredibly painful, and may leave a scar post removal.

Regularly getting these ulcers may be the sign of a more serious underlying condition.

Giant ulcer on back of the mouth

2) If someone has more than 3 ulcers at any one time, than it is worth visiting a GP or dentist as this may be indicative of an underlying condition.

Such conditions may range from undiagnosed food allergies to auto-immune diseases such as HIV.

It is therefore important to seek medical advice if this happens to you.

3) If an ulcer or canker sore is causing an unbearable amount of pain, then it is a dental emergency.

How To Treat Mouth Ulcers And Canker Sores

So long as they arent constantly being rubbed against or repeatedly bitten down on, ulcers should go away by themselves.

However the pain and interference with eating and talking that mouth ulcers and Canker Sores cause can mean that you want them gone as soon as possible.

Here is how its done:

1) Ulcers will disappear faster if they are not irritated or interfered with.

It therefore may be a good idea to avoid chewing on the side of the mouth where you have an ulcer .

Similarly you should try and to resist the urge to play with your ulcer with your fingers or tongue.

2) You can use over the counter painkillers to reduce the pain of your ulcer or canker sore.

The reduced pain should also decrease your urge to play with your ulcer. This should promote healing further.

Ideally you want to be using painkillers withan anti-inflammatory quality.

Anti-inflammatories fight infection as well as reduce pain, therefore making your ulcer or Canker Sore heal faster.

Ibuprofen and Aspirin are the two most common over the counter anti-inflammatory painkiller.

Paracetamol is not an anti-inflammatory.

Anti-inflammatories are best for reducing most painful oral health issues

3) Inflammation can be reduced by rinsing the ulcer with warm salty water.

This is because salt-water is a mild anti-septic. It can kill the harmful inflammation causing bacteria without doing any damage to the infected tissue itself.

A Saltwater solution will gently disinfect your mouth ulcer

Recommended Reading: Can Stomach Ulcer Cause Hives

Understanding The Causes Of Canker Sores

Although the exact causes of canker sores are unknown, dental and medical professionals have noticed a few risk factors. For example, the U.S. Office on Women’s Health points out that women tend to get canker sores more when menstruating. So your biological makeup and hormones may be related to your chances of developing them. The Merck Manual estimates that RAS occurs in 20 to 30% of adults and an even larger percentage of children. It also notes that RAS is often passed down in families, meaning genetics could play a role.

An injury inside your mouth may also increase your risk of developing a canker sore. If you’ve ever accidentally bitten the inside of your lip or cheek, then had a few days of a painful wound in that area, you’ve probably had a canker sore! Other potential causes include an allergy to certain foods, a lack of specific vitamins, smoking, and a weakened immune system.

And if you’ve heard that canker sores and anxiety have a connection, you may be wondering, “are canker sores caused by stress?” Anxiety and stress are well-known potential causes of canker sores, and several studies explore their relationship. For example, a study published in Contemporary Clinical Dentistry evaluated the psychological profiles and salivary cortisol levels of people with RAS. Although the study was small, researchers concluded that anxiety and depression levels were higher in people with RAS than in the control group.