Soft Tissue Lesions
Have you discovered any painful sores or lesions on your gums, tongue, or the soft tissues of your mouth? Soft tissue lesions can range from completely innocuous to signs of a larger dental issue. When you visit SmileMarin for an oral exam, we will help you determine if your lesions are a result of any of these conditions:
- Canker sores: • Most canker sores appear as round ulcers that are white or yellow and have a red border. Canker sores can develop on the mouth, tongue, inner cheek area, gum line, and throat area.
- Cold sores: • These sores appear as clusters of red and raised blisters around the lips. They can also appear under the nose and chin. Cold sores are very contagious.
- Oral trauma • You may develop a sore or an irritated lesion if you have recently bitten or cut your tongue, gums, or soft tissue. These wounds can become infected if not cared for properly.
- Oral Thrush: • Also known as candidiasis, oral thrush is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of yeast. It appears as white spots inside the mouth or on the tongue, and can cause a sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
- Oral cancer: • Changes in the appearance and coloring of your soft tissue may indicate oral cancer. These lesions can be red, white, or a mix of the two. You may not notice these lesions before they advance to a dangerous stage, which is why routine oral cancer screenings with the dentist are so important.
If your oral lesion does not disappear after 10 days, we encourage you to schedule a visit to our dental office to receive an oral exam from Dr. Eric Zaremski. Our dentist may recommend antibiotics, an oral cancer screening, or another medication or treatment.