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.