Sore Roof of Mouth

Having a sore roof of mouth is not a pleasant sensation, as it can cause a lot of discomfort and even prevent you from eating or drinking the things you like. There are many reasons that can lead to the mouth roof becoming sore and you need to identify the causes correctly, so that you make sure you get properly treated. Sometimes, besides the treatment, you will need to make certainly lifestyle changes, related to your diet. The truth is that the mouth roof is extremely sensitive and it can be sore quite easily. Let’s find out the most common causes that lead to such problems.

What Causes Sore Roof of Mouth?

These are the most common causes that lead to the mouth roof becoming sore:

• Hot food and drinks
  • The tissues on the roof of mouth are extremely sensitive to high temperatures
  • Regular intake of hot food and drinks can cause it to become sore
  • If the temperature was too high, blisters can occur because of the tissue burn
• Foods with irritating effect
  • Spicy food – can lead to sore roof of mouth and inflammation
  • Sharp foods – can scratch the roof of mouth, leading to soreness
• Tobacco
  • Excessive smoking can lead to soreness
  • Chewing tobacco can have the same effect
• Canker sores
  • Caused by bacterial infection or because the mouth roof has been irritated (hot foods and drinks, sharp foods)
• Infection
  • Viral/bacterial infections can lead to roof of mouth soreness
  • Most common – strep throat
• Dental problems
  • Tooth abscess – can extend to the roof of mouth, causing soreness
  • Dentures – when they are not placed correctly, they irritate the roof of mouth
  • Oral devices (braces) – can lead to the mouth roof becoming sore, especially if they are not worn correctly
• Burning mouth syndrome
  • Unknown cause
  • Suspected triggering factors: dry mouth, oral thrush
  • Symptoms include roof of mouth soreness
  • Worse in the morning, symptoms alleviate during the day
• Cancer
  • Cancerous growth present on the roof of the mouth
  • Can cause soreness, difficult talking or eating
• Other causes
  • Cold sores
  • Diabetes
  • Infections of the ear
  • Menopause
  • Vitamin deficiencies

Treatment for Sore Roof of Mouth

These are the most common courses of treatment undertaken for sore roof of mouth:

• Mouthwash
  • Recommended by the dentist
  • Contains corticosteroids
  • Reduces inflammation and pain
• Antibiotics
  • Recommended for bacterial infections
  • They should be taken for as long as they are prescribed, otherwise the bacteria will develop resistance to the treatment
  • Probiotics are indicated during the treatment, in order to preserve intestinal healthy bacteria
• Topical applications
  • Promote faster healing
  • Pain relieving properties
• Oral corticosteroids
  • Recommended for severe canker sores or if they did not respond to other treatments
  • The treatment cannot be administered for prolonged periods of time, as it can have serious side-effects on one’s health
• Cautery
  • The doctor will use a specialized instrument in order to destroy the damaged tissue
  • Chemical cautery is also possible, the available choices including Debacterol and silver nitrate
• Vitamin supplements
  • These are recommended in case of vitamin deficiency
  • May include zinc, folic acid or vitamins from the B complex (B12, B6)
• Treatment for underlying conditions
  • Chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgical removal of cancerous growths
  • Hormonal supplements for menopause

When suffering from sore roof of mouth, it might not be enough to take medication for the problem to go away. There are certain lifestyle changes that you need to make, such as:

• Don’t eat food that is too hot in temperature and avoid hot beverages (tea should be drunk warm, not hot)
• Eliminate spicy foods from your diet
• Chew your food properly before swallowing it – sometimes the roof of the mouth gets scratched because the food wasn’t chewed completely
• Avoid drinking excessive quantities of alcohol, as this can irritate the mouth roof as well
• Quite smoking or chewing tobacco, as this is one of the main factors incriminated in roof of mouth soreness
• Clean your palate by gargling with salt water
• Drink milk to soothe the sore roof of mouth
• Use aloevera to promote the healing of the sore tissues.