What are postemillas: causes and treatment

Canker sores, sores or canker sores are fairly common ulcerative lesions that appear in the oral cavity (tongue, cheeks or gums) and disappear in a few days. They usually have a whitish center and a reddened edge that completely delimits them. There are many possible causes of cold sores or canker sores :

Viral infections

In most cases postemillas are produced by viral infectious processes that affect the oral cavity and manifest themselves in this way, this being part of the body’s defense mechanism.

Low immune system

Another reason related to the presence of postemillas anywhere in the oral cavity is because we have low defenses, and this is a sign that indicates that our body is going through this situation and we must do what is necessary to improve it.

The defense system may be temporarily or chronically weakened. The latter occurs in the case of people who have undergone organ transplantation or who suffer from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV

Trauma

Any type of instrument that injures any part of the oral cavity can generate the presence of postemillas. This happens, for example, in case of:

• An aggressive mouth cleaning.
• A foreign body in the mouth, such as, for example, a pen that we rub against the internal part of the oral cavity when nibbling on it can cause this type of injury.
• People who have orthodontics with braces.
• People who have dentures.
• Accidental biting of the tongue or cheek when eating.

Autoimmune diseases

This type of disease is characterized in that the immune system attacks the healthy cells of the body instead of protecting it as it should act normally. This happens in case of systemic lupus erythematosus or pemphigus. Having any of these types of diseases can lead to the appearance of canker sores.

Stress postemillas

This is another common factor in which sores can appear in the oral cavity. Especially in people who suffer from work and / or family stress. This is because stress destabilizes hormonal levels and the immune system, making it easier to get infections of any kind and various imbalances occur throughout the body.

Vitamin deficiency

The extreme deficit of vitamins and minerals can manifest with the presence of canker sores, this especially occurs with the deficiency of iron, folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin C.

Hormonal changes

It is also common for them to occur in women, especially because they are exposed to constant hormonal changes that can trigger this type of injury.

Foods that can cause thrush

The ingestion of very hot or spicy foods is also related to the presence of postemillas. The same occurs in case of an allergic reaction to a food such as nuts.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis

This is a very common type of inflammatory condition in the oral cavity and although its reason for its appearance is not completely defined is related to hereditary factors, recurrent aphthous stomatitis is the reason why oral ulcers occur frequently.

Medicines

The intake of some medications can condition the appearance and formation of postemillas, in some cases it is believed to be related to an ingredient that is present in mouthwashes, this is sodium lauryl sulfate or LSS.

Genetic background

It is normal for several members of the same family to suffer from postemillas, this is because there is a genetic component that conditions their formation. According to the advances in odontostomatology published by the Faculty of Dentistry of the Complutense University of Madrid Spain, they cite that out of 815 families, at least 45% of the patients suffering from recurrent canker sores have first degree relatives.

Behcet’s disease or syndrome

This disease is rare and is related to an inflammatory process in blood vessels throughout the body, however its usual characteristic is the presence of canker sores.

It is known that there are 3 types of postemillas or canker sores according to their morphology:

• Minor canker sores : this type of postemilla usually heals spontaneously after 7 days, they generally appear alone and are usually superficial, for this reason they do not leave a residual scar. This is the type is the most frequent.
• Major canker sores : in this case the sores are usually close to or greater than one centimeter in size, they usually resolve after a week, they tend to leave a kind of residual scar due to their depth.
• Herpetiform canker sores : this type of canker defines the cases in which numerous ulcers appear, all of them range between 1 and 3 millimeters, unlike the previous ones, they disappear after a few weeks and leave a residual mark.

Postemillas by themselves usually disappear within one or two weeks after their appearance. Otherwise, a medical evaluation is necessary to diagnose if it is a serious disease.

These types of mouth sores have some characteristics that can allow us to easily recognize them in order to treat them as soon as possible. These are the main clinical signs and symptoms of postemillas :

• They are quite annoying and painful.
• It creates discomfort to eat or drink.
• They can be annoying when talking.
• They are whitish with a reddish border.
• They turn gray when healing begins.
• At the beginning, a burning and tingling sensation appears and then a reddened lump appears until finally the ulcer is denoted.
• They are usually between 1 to 3 mm in size except for larger canker sores that can measure up to more than one centimeter.

In addition, there are more warning signs although they rarely appear, since they occur in cases of more serious diseases, such as an advanced infection:

• Fever.
• General discomfort.
• Swelling of the lymph nodes.

The postemillas usually disappear on their own without the need to apply any specific treatment. Despite this, on the one hand, specific and over-the-counter creams, gels and ointments can be used for its treatment. On the other hand, some local natural treatments are usually used that improve the discomfort that they cause. These are the remedies to remove postemillas in the mouth :

• Salt water: Rinse the oral cavity with warm salt water or over-the-counter, alcohol-free mouthwashes.
• Sodium bicarbonate: thanks to its alkalizing properties, sodium bicarbonate helps calm the irritation and inflammation process. In addition, it reduces the bacteria that tend to proliferate in some cases of thrush.
• Aloe vera: thanks to its antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, healing and regenerative properties, aloe vera can also be used to treat postemillas. This is achieved by applying the aloe vera gel to the areas where the ulcers are located and, preferably, using a cotton swab or cotton. In addition, as you can discover in this other FastlyHealarticle, Aloe vera for inflamed gums is also very effective, so you can take advantage of it to improve the health of your entire mouth.
• Milk of magnesia: thanks to its soothing properties, it is recommended to use milk of magnesia to rinse the mouth after brushing or to apply it directly on the ulcer.
• Hydrogen peroxide: it is used to treat canker sores in the mouth because it is capable of killing any microorganism that affects the oral mucosa. It is recommended to use as a mouthwash without consuming it or to dilute it with warm water, lemon and bicarbonate to gargle with this mixture.
• Licorice: the use of this tea is useful to treat canker sores, it is antibiotic and anti-inflammatory, it is recommended to gargle every 8 hours to enhance its effect.
• Sage – This powerful natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory is also helpful in treating canker sores. It is recommended to use them two or three times a day for the treatment to be effective.
• Bagged tea: the most popular teas have healing and anti-inflammatory analgesic properties such as black tea, plantain tea and green tea, all of which can treat the irritation of mouth ulcers. It is recommended to introduce a tea bag in the mouth especially where the ulcer is located and leave it to act for at least 5 minutes.
• Yogurt: natural yogurt is a highly effective agent against pathogens that cause infections, highlighting those that cause canker sores.
• Chamomile infusion : this infusion contains analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, this allows you to relieve the pain caused by the annoying postemillas, it is recommended to gargle every 8 hours for a week or until the canker sores disappear. Discover here more Medicinal uses of chamomile so that you know how else this medicinal plant can help you.

In this other FastlyHealarticle we present you more about How to cure canker sores with home remedies .

It is important to carry out correct oral hygiene to avoid any affection in the oral cavity. To do this, we give you the following advice on hygiene habits for oral health :

• Eat a balanced diet that contains vegetables, fruits, vitamins and Omega 3.
• Proper oral hygiene involves brushing when getting up, after every meal, and before going to bed.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your oral cavity hydrated.
• Avoid introducing any foreign object into the oral cavity.
• Avoid biting your lips.
• If you wear braces, it is advisable to apply specific wax for these on their surface to avoid rubbing with the oral mucosa.

No one is exempt from suffering postemillas, although if you take these tips into account, it will be more difficult for them to appear. Also, luckily, these are usually benign lesions that go away on their own. However, as they are very annoying and can become very painful, natural remedies can be used to calm the symptoms and facilitate their healing, such as those we have shown before.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Postemillas: why they come out and how to remove them , we recommend that you enter our Teeth and mouth category .