Other drug information.
If you take aspirin or any other anticoagulants like heparin or warfarin, make sure your dentist is aware of it. These are great drugs for preventing heart disease and stroke, but might cause a problem while undergoing oral surgery or periodontal treatments.
Pesky cold and canker sores.
These are the two most common mouth sores. They are annoying, unattractive and painful.
Canker sores are found inside of the mouth and usually begin as a bump or red spot. No one knows what causes them but genetics does have some role. It’s believed that white blood cells in the immune system cause these nasty little things to appear in the mouth lining. Stress, fatigue and maybe some foods are theorized to be contributors. Since there is no known cause, there is obviously no cure. Thankfully, they do disappear in 7 to 10 days
Cold sores are a different story. They appear on and around the lips as small blisters that are filled with fluid. They are sometimes referred to as fever blisters. There can also be clusters of them on the gums or the roof of the mouth.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus. Highly contagious, the virus will remain in the body throughout the lifetime. Most of the time it will remain dormant, but it does periodically activate causing the sores to appear. The sores will usually heal in about a week or so. An ugly scab will appear after the blister breaks. About the only thing that can be done is to apply a topical ointment to treat discomfort.
If you detect any changes in the cold or canker sores, or discover some other type of unrecognizable lesion, contact your dentist for an appointment. The dentist is familiar with most conditions having to do with the mouth and can readily make a diagnosis.
Remember, you are born with two sets of teeth. The first set were your “training teeth.” The second set are irreplaceable. Treat them with the care they deserve and they will serve you faithfully throughout your lifetime.
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