Mouth Sores
Mouth Sores
But within a year, she began developing blisters all over her body, including a renewed onslaught on the inside of her mouth. Eventually, she was diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, an obscure skin disorder that begins in the mouth and causes stinging wounds that will not heal.
“It’s similar to a canker sore, except it lasts forever. It feels like you have first-degree burns all over your mouth, tongue, and throat,” says Segall, founder and president of the National Pemphigus Foundation.
Although rare, affecting less than 1 percent of all Americans, pemphigus and two other ulcerative conditions—mucous membrane pemphigoid and lichen planus—become increasingly prevalent after age 50, says Michael Siegel, D.D.S., associate professor of oral medicine and diagnostic sciences at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in Baltimore.
“These sores can be very severe. They can get to the point where they are extremely disabling. They can prevent people from eating, swallowing, or even talking. They’re extremely painful and can get very large. They run from small spots about the size of a pencil eraser up to the size of a quarter in some people,” says Brad Rodu, D.D.S., professor in the department of pathology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham.
Lichen planus, which can look like little interlocking threads of white lace on the cheeks, gums, and tongue, is usually considered a mere annoyance, says Grant J. Anhalt, M.D., acting chief of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. But severe cases of lichen planus, pemphigus, and pemphigoid can lead to oral cancer and other life-threatening complications.
Some researchers suspect that these conditions are triggered when, for some unknown reason, the body’s immune system mistakenly begins attacking the cells in the mouth and skin, Dr. Rodu says.
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Managing Your Meds More than 30 prescription drugs can cause rashlike outbreaks in the mouth that mimic lichen planus, says Michael Siegel, D.D.S., associate professor of oral medicine and diagnostic sciences at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in Baltimore. Among the prime offenders are: • High blood pressure medications like thiazide diuretics such as chlorothiazide (Diuril) and hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL) • Antibiotics such as tetracyclines (Vibramycin, Sumycin) • Medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, such as auranofin (Ridaura), penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen Titratable), and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) If you develop a mouth rash, take all of your medications, including any over-the-counter drugs, with you when you go to your physician or dentist. It will help him determine if your rash is drug-induced. |
Because lichen planus, pemphigus, and pemphigoid have similar symptoms, it is important to see a dentist or dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Anhalt says. For long-term relief, steroids, immunosuppressants, and other prescription drugs are the only effective answers. But even if you are on medication, the home remedies below may help you avoid intensifying these mouth rashes.
Try This First
For brushing, use a soft toothbrush with a pinch of baking soda or a mild children’s toothpaste like Kid’s Crest, says Dr. Rodu.
Other Wise Ways
Keep spices in the rack. Cinnamon, curry, and other zesty spices can aggravate mouth rashes, so it is best to avoid any foods made with these ingredients until your rash disappears, Dr. Rodu says.