Mouth Sores

Dental health is not limited to your teeth. Sores or irritations can develop in and around the mouth. Fortunately, they usually heal on their own within a week or two. Mouth sores come in several different varieties and can have any number of causes, including:

• Infections from bacteria, viruses or fungus
• Irritation from a loose orthodontic wire, a denture that doesn’t fit, or a sharp edge from a broken tooth or filling.
• The symptom of a disease or disorder.

Your dentist should examine any mouth sore that lasts a week or longer. For more information about specific kinds of mouth sores, please visit our pages on canker sores, cold sores, oral thrush and leukoplakia.