Mouth Disorders: Common Problems and How They're Treated

The mouth does many jobs. It lets you:

• take in food and drink;
• breathe in air;
• start digestion, as the teeth chew food and the salivary glands release saliva to help break it down;
• speak and sing;
• show emotion, by smiling or pouting.

So any problem that affects the mouth can make it hard to eat, drink or even smile.

Common mouth problems

• Cold sores: painful sores on the lips and around the mouth, caused by a virus.
• Canker sores: painful sores inside the mouth, caused by bacteria or viruses.
• Thrush: a yeast infection that causes white patches in the mouth.
• Leukoplakia: white patches of excess cell growth on the cheeks, gums or tongue, common in smokers.
• Dry mouth: too little saliva, caused by some medicines and certain diseases.
• Gum and tooth problems.
• Bad breath.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the problem. When another disease causes it, treating that disease can help. Keeping the mouth clean and healthy, by brushing, flossing and not using tobacco, matters too.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Mouth Disorders." https://medlineplus.gov/mouthdisorders.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.