Dear Readers,

Donovan is a 20-year-old from St Ann who has written Lifeline about several articles he has read in this column which refer to sores on the mouth as herpetic, that is, caused by the herpes simplex virus which is very contagious. Because he sometimes gets sores in his mouth, he did the herpes blood test to check for this virus and his test was negative. Donovan asks Lifeline for information on what else could be causing little sores to appear inside his mouth from time to time.

Not all ulcers and sores seen over the mouth, lips, gums and inner cheeks are caused by the herpes virus. Vitamin deficiencies, especially low levels of vitamin B¹²and vitamin A, can cause recurring sores to the mouth area. Persistent acidic conditions in the mouth, food allergies and even small cuts to the mouth which become infected are some of the other possible causes of oral ulcers. In some cases, mouth ulcers can even indicate an underlying autoimmune disorder.

painful blisters

Ulcers over the mouth, gums, and cheeks tend to look the same whether they are caused by a herpes infection or by one of these other causes. They begin as a red, inflamed spot on the lip or inside the mouth and they develop into small painful blisters filled with fluid which then rupture into open ulcers. These ulcers can become secondarily infected with yeast or bacteria.

The difference between her-petic cold sores and all other sores is that herpes sores tend to appear on the hard part of the gums and on the dry part of the lips while other sores tend to occur on the loose parts of the gums, inside the cheeks and on the inner part of the lips. Herpetic cold sores almost always at exactly the same place every time while other types of sores can occur anywhere in the mouth. People with a tendency to experience these non-herpetic oral sores should avoid acidic foods, sugar, citrus fruits and juices, chocolate and caffeine. Including yogurt in the diet can help to prevent these mouth ulcers.

Rinsing the mouth with a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution can help to decrease any additional infection and hasten healing. Sometimes a topical antibiotic cream can be applied to ulcers on the lips. Over-the-counter pain-killers such as Advil and Motrin often suffice to control pain. An application of local anaesthetic gel or cream to oral ulcers (e.g. emla cream can help to significantly lessen the discomfort experienced when these sores are present. Meals should consist of soft foods, steamed vegetables, soups, cool non-acidic juices and even ice cream. If the lips are sensitive, a straw should be used for drinking. Sucking on ice chips also helps with pain relief.

not contagious

The good thing is that these ulcers are not contagious, cannot be transferred from mouth to genitals by oral sex (as is the case with oral herpes infection) and they pose no risk of disability to unborn babies (as with herpetic infection in the genital region).

Baking soda will reduce the acidity in the mouth and will promote healing to the irritated tissues. It can be mixed with water and used as a mouthwash several times a day.

Regular zinc supplement may also help to maintain the integrity of the oral mucosa and prevent oral ulcers.

Write Lifeline

PO Box 1731

Kgn 8