Stomatitis in adults is an effective treatment. Stomatitis and treatment at home. Treatment with antibacterial agents, antihistamines and to enhance immunity

Stomatitis is a name that combines diseases of the oral mucosa, which can have different origins and patterns of manifestations. The pathology often occurs in children due to an immature immune system, but adults are also susceptible to it. Characterized by inflammatory processes, swelling and redness of the mucous membranes.

Stomatitis - causes in adults

What is stomatitis?

The term unites a large group of diseases of the oral mucosa. The mechanism of stomatitis formation has not yet been studied. According to one theory, it occurs as a special reaction of the immune system to irritants. When nonspecific molecules appear, the immune system provokes their attack, which leads to the formation of ulcers and redness. A similar situation arises with organ transplantation.

There are several forms of the disease, which can have completely different symptoms and signs:

• catarrhal;
• ulcerative;
• aphthous;
• candida;
• herpetic.

Most often, pathology is caused by the accumulation of a large number of pathogenic microorganisms on the mucous membranes or the teeth themselves. This process becomes especially intense when you abuse sugar and sweets, which create comfortable conditions for the growth of bacteria.

Most people have encountered stomatitis at least once in their lives, despite the fact that it is not contagious. The development of pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity, which causes stomatitis, occurs due to decreased immunity, hormonal changes, or simple lack of hygiene.

Important! Bad habits, poor diet, and stress increase the risk of developing stomatitis, as they directly affect the condition of the body and lead to its weakening.

Diagnosing stomatitis is quite difficult. In medicine, there are no tests or studies that would help in making an accurate diagnosis. The doctor must visually assess the situation and refute the presence of more serious diseases that may have similar symptoms. To do this, they study the patient’s chart and prescribe a series of tests.

Causes

Both external and internal factors can lead to the development of pathology. The disease appears due to:

• poor hygiene;
• the appearance of stone and plaque on teeth;
• using low-quality brushes and pastes;
• presence of caries;
• dental procedures performed with violations;
• dysbacteriosis.

In adults, stomatitis often occurs due to dental problems. After all, one carious tooth can cause an acute inflammatory process, which becomes not only the cause of stomatitis, but also more serious diseases. That is why it is so important to treat oral pathologies in a timely manner and follow the rules of hygiene.

Important! According to research, the occurrence of stomatitis is greatly influenced by heredity, the state of immunity and microflora.

Pathology occurs in people with diseases:

• stomach and intestines;
• heart and blood vessels;
• helminthic infestation;
• endocrine and immune systems.

Usually worries people with reduced immunity. Almost any bacteria that enters the oral cavity can cause stomatitis. Regardless of the type of disease, you can protect yourself from pathogenic microflora only by following the rules of hygiene and strengthening your immune system.

Important! Hygiene products containing sodium lauryl sulfate can cause stomatitis, as they have a dehydrating effect on the mucous membranes.

EDEL+WHITE “Active gum protection” toothpaste does not contain harmful substances sodium lauryl sulfate, is low-abrasive and does not harm the enamel

The following types of impacts can cause disturbances:

• chemical;
• thermal;
• radial;
• traumatic.

Drinking hot liquids, biting the soft tissues of the mouth, and damage from solid food negatively affects the mucous membranes and can cause inflammation. As a result, ulcers, redness and erosion are formed, and in severe cases, body temperature rises.

Other causes of stomatitis:

• low-quality dentures;
• taking medications to reduce salivation;
• HIV infection;
• hormonal fluctuations;
• avitaminosis;
• anemia;
• the presence of malignant tumors in the neck and face.

Until now, scientists have not been able to identify why, under the influence of certain factors, stomatitis occurs in some people and not in others. It is also unclear why the immune system begins to recognize its own cells as foreign, so the main cause of stomatitis is recognized as a malfunction of the immune system, and external and internal causes serve as factors provoking the disease.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms of the disease depend on its form and may vary. So, the main features are presented in the table.

Table. Symptoms of various types of stomatitis.

The onset of the disease is characterized by the formation of slight redness, in the area of ​​which a burning sensation and slight swelling are sometimes observed. In the case of catarrhal form, the mucous membranes gradually turn red, begin to bleed, and plaque appears on them. If aphthous or ulcerative stomatitis develops, a small round or oval ulcer appears.

With weakened immunity and other pathologies of the body, the number of ulcers increases every day and they are particularly painful. In such a situation, you have to move your tongue less and sometimes refuse to eat in order to avoid severe pain.

Candidiasis and herpetic stomatitis are contagious. They are not an independent disease, but serve as a manifestation of the underlying one. These forms require immediate help, since every day the unpleasant symptoms will only increase, and the herpes virus or candidiasis fungus will spread throughout the body. Other forms arise due to the development of pathogenic microflora, which is not contagious.

Important! After a person has had stomatitis once, the risk of recurrence increases. The disease can become chronic or occur several times a year.

Mild forms of stomatitis go away on their own in about 10 days. If the disease is caused by a herpes virus or Candida fungus, medical treatment is required. Complex forms of stomatitis also require medication, as the disease can become chronic.

Treatment

Depends on the form of the disease and should be carried out under the guidance of a specialist. Therapy includes a list of the following measures:

• disinfection of the oral cavity;
• relieving inflammation and pain;
• suppression of the development of pathogenic microflora;
• healing of damaged areas.

The most commonly used antiseptic drugs are:

• Chlorhexidine.
• hydrogen peroxide.

It is necessary to rinse after each meal with the utmost caution. Herbal decoctions based on:

• chamomile;
• calendula;
• sage;
• Potentillas.

Mild forms of stomatitis can go away on their own, and when using antiseptic solutions and decoctions, recovery can occur within 3 days from the onset of the disease. In addition, the risk of developing the disease in the future will decrease.

Important! Ulcerative stomatitis requires antibiotics and antihistamines, which must be prescribed by a doctor. In severe cases, methenamine and calcium chloride are used as injections.

In case of candidal stomatitis, antifungal drugs are used for 10-14 days:

• Nystatin.
• Levorin.

Herpetic stomatitis has the most severe course, and the duration of treatment can be up to 21 days. In this case, the herpes virus will still remain in the body and will manifest itself when immunity decreases. Treatment includes the use of antiviral drugs, for example, Amexin or Viferon.

Prevention

You can protect yourself from stomatitis if you follow simple recommendations. Preventive measures include:

• protection from oral injuries;
• rejection of stress and nervous tension;
• timely treatment of diseases of teeth and gums;
• careful brushing of teeth;
• to give up smoking;
• inclusion of foods rich in vitamins in the diet;
• timely treatment of underlying diseases causing stomatitis.

If a person has encountered stomatitis once, the disease is likely to occur again, but this does not mean that it can be left to chance. Compliance with hygiene rules will help avoid the spread of pathogenic microflora, viruses and fungi that cause stomatitis.

Stomatitis is not a dangerous disease, but it can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms that significantly impair the quality of life. Treatment must be timely and under the guidance of a qualified specialist. A healthy lifestyle, good hygiene and proper nutrition will help avoid stomatitis in the future.

Video - How to treat stomatitis

Stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucous epithelium lining the oral cavity. With its help, our body provides an immune response to adverse factors. As a rule, stomatitis is a disease associated with childhood. However, at the moment, this disease is increasingly affecting adults as well.

Where does stomatitis occur?

The localization of this process can be different: stomatitis most often appears on the inner surface of the lips, cheeks, and palate. The appearance of stomatitis on the tongue in adults is also possible. Sometimes stomatitis occurs under the tongue. The reasons for this phenomenon can be both the deterioration of the general condition of the environment and the widespread decrease in the body’s immune abilities. In this article we will tell you how to recognize and treat stomatitis.

Causes

• Infectious agents. A variety of bacteria and viruses are, of course, directly related to damage to the oral mucosa. However, opportunistic flora is present in everyone, but does not always manifest itself. For active growth and pathogenesis, the infectious agent requires the presence of stimulating factors that undermine the body's protective ability.
• Unbalanced diet. A rich and nutritious diet is designed to provide the body with the vitamins and minerals necessary for normal functioning. The lack of these substances leads to an increased likelihood of stomatitis.
• Damage to the oral cavity. Stomatitis is often preceded by some, sometimes minor, violation of the integrity of the oral mucosa. These include lip bites, mucosal injuries due to dry and hard food, and burns on the tongue in adults.
• Failure to comply with hygiene standards. Insufficient processing of vegetables and fruits, violations of hand washing regimen lead to stomatitis.
• Dental intervention. When installing dentures, especially with the use of low-quality materials or by an unqualified doctor.
• Improper oral hygiene. If you brush your teeth too often or brush with pastes containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), salivation is reduced, which contributes to dehydration of the mucous membrane and the formation of plaque. This exposure leads to increased susceptibility of the oral epithelium to external factors, resulting in stomatitis.
• Taking medications that reduce salivation. These drugs include, but are not limited to, diuretics.
• Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
• Chronic diseases.

Often, stomatitis in a person signals the presence of some hidden disorders in the body. For example:

There are several types of the disease, depending on the nature of the damaging effect. The type of stomatitis largely influences treatment methods. Thus, it is impossible to answer the question of how to treat a disease without knowing its nature.

Symptoms of stomatitis

What are the external manifestations of stomatitis? As a rule, the signs of stomatitis are similar regardless of the cause of the disease. They are easy to identify when examining the oral cavity. Acute intoxication syndrome, fever and other serious symptoms are extremely rare. However, to prevent recurrences and the development of concomitant diseases, you must consult a doctor if the following symptoms appear:

• The disease begins with redness of the affected mucosal area, accompanied by swelling and pain.
• In case of a disease caused by a bacterial infection, the next day a small round ulcer with smooth edges forms at the site of the lesion. Redness forms around it, the wound itself is covered with a thin white film.
• Upon contact with the ulcer, pain and burning appear. In some cases, discomfort in the wound area interferes with eating and normal speech.
• The onset of the disease is accompanied by increased salivation and bad breath. In some cases, bleeding occurs due to damage to the gum tissue.
• In difficult cases, it is possible to increase body temperature to +39°C and enlarge the lymph nodes.
• Most often, ulcers form on the inner surface of the lips, as well as the cheeks, palate and tonsils. Stomatitis on the tongue in adults rarely appears. The same applies to the formation of ulcers under the tongue.

How to treat stomatitis

The catarrhal form of the disease usually occurs when the patient does not maintain proper oral hygiene. This type of disease is an inflammation of the oral mucosa without the formation of aphthae. Treating catarrhal stomatitis is quite simple; it can be done at home. Therapy usually takes about a week. For a speedy recovery, you should temporarily give up aggressive foods (containing a large amount of acids, salt, seasonings, hard, too hot or cold), and also try to rinse your mouth with disinfectants more often. Frequent rinsing helps reduce the number of germs on the mucous membrane.

If the disease is severe and has signs of a serious infection, then it is imperative to contact a dentist or therapist, who can tell you how to treat stomatitis. Treatment should include measures to quickly relieve pain, heal the mucous membrane, as well as prevent the progression of the disease into a chronic disease with constant relapses.

Painkillers

If the pathological process interferes with eating, speaking and creates serious discomfort for the patient, the doctor may prescribe local painkillers.

Natural remedies (Kalanchoe juice, decoctions of chamomile, calendula, sage) also have antibacterial, calming effects, have a beneficial effect on swollen mucous membranes and relieve inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory drugs, antiseptics

Most often, stomatitis is treated with antibacterial drugs. These drugs can be used in the form of rinses, ointments, gels, sprays, lozenges, etc.

• Sprays: Ingalipt, Hexoral, Lugol;
• Cholisal is a drug in the form of a gel, actively used in dental practice as a complex antibacterial, anesthetic and anti-inflammatory agent;
• Kamistad is a gel based on lidocaine, a powerful pain reliever, and chamomile, an effective natural antiseptic;
• Ingafitol, Eucarom - products for inhalation and mouth rinsing, which include eucalyptus leaves and chamomile;
• Stomatidine (hexetidine) is an antiseptic drug that effectively disinfects and provides a mild anesthetic effect;
• Cameton is a preparation based on essential oils that has antimicrobial, methaneesthetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Available in aerosol and spray form;
• Eucalyptus M - lozenges for resorption, the composition includes plant components. Antiseptic, does not contain sugar;
• – used in the early stages, promotes healing of affected tissues.

Antiviral, antifungal, antihistamines

For each specific type of disease, be it fungal, viral, or allergic, it is necessary to use a different medicine.

Drugs that accelerate the healing of the mucous membrane

In addition to eliminating the cause of mucosal damage, the following drugs are used:

• Solcoseryl is a drug that is often used in dental practice. Available in paste form. Helps improve cellular nutrition of tissues and accelerates the process of their restoration.
• Karotolin is an oily liquid, used externally. The active ingredient of the drug is Betacarotene, an antioxidant similar to retinol, which has a protective effect on cells.
• Sea buckthorn and rosehip oils are excellent natural wound healing agents.
• Vinilin (Shostakovsky balm) is an antiseptic. Envelops wounds, cleansing them and promoting epithelization and accelerated healing of ulcers.
• Proposol spray is a product based on propolis. It has anesthetic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.

Allergic form of the disease

Currently, about a third of the world's population are allergic in one way or another. However, the manifestations of allergic reactions can be completely different. Some people have allergic reactions related to the oral mucosa. This can happen after installing a new denture or as a result of using a previously unfamiliar medication.

Since the appearance of ulcers on the oral mucosa is a symptom of an allergy, treatment consists, first of all, of identifying and eliminating the allergen, and then taking antihistamines. Drugs for the treatment of this type of disease can be taken in the form of tablets or applications.

Herpetic form

Among all the viruses that can cause disease, the herpes simplex virus is perhaps the most common. Most people first encounter herpes in childhood. After the first contact, the virus remains in the body for life. But a healthy immune system suppresses its manifestations, so a person may not even know that he is a carrier of the herpes simplex virus. Difficulties begin when the immune system weakens as a result of various negative influences, and damage to the oral mucosa occurs.

Those adult patients who suffer from herpetic stomatitis, as a rule, do not develop intoxication syndrome. The formation of bubbles on the palate, tongue or mucous membranes of the cheeks occurs abruptly; a large number of closely spaced bubbles are formed at once. They soon burst, forming a painful erosive area.

Treatment includes the following steps:

• Elimination of pain using topical painkillers (Anestezin, Lidochlor).
• The use of anti-inflammatory and wound-healing agents (Solcoseryl, Cholisal, vitamin A preparations, Kamistad, sea buckthorn oil).
• Taking antihistamines (applications if necessary).
• Taking antiviral drugs (Zovirax, Oxolin, Viru-Merz Serol, Acyclovir). Please note that you should not start taking antiviral medications without a doctor's prescription.
• Restoring the body's immune system - a course of multivitamins; with a doctor's prescription, it is possible to use immunomodulators (Immunal, Polyoxidonium,).

Treatment of aphthous form of the disease

The nature of the occurrence of this type of disease is not fully understood. Some doctors claim that this type of stomatitis occurs as a result of infection with staphylococci. Others say that the disease is purely viral in nature. Perhaps the aphthous form is atypical, associated with the herpes simplex virus. The trigger for its appearance is the weakening of the body's defenses. A distinctive feature of this type of disease is the appearance of so-called aphthae on the mucous membrane. These are small round ulcers with a white or yellowish center and redness around the edges. The disease can last for years, accompanied by fairly frequent, but not acute, relapses. In some cases, aphthae may not heal for weeks, then the disease turns into an ulcerative-necrotic form. This severe degree of pathology is likely the result of severe health problems of the patient, such as immunodeficiencies, heavy metal poisoning, leukemia, and exposure to ionizing radiation.

Despite the fact that the etiology of the disease is not precisely determined, it is well known how this form should be treated. The treatment method includes the following stages:

• Mouth rinse. Treatment can be done with a mixture of 4 g of boric acid dissolved in 1 glass of cooled chamomile decoction, a weak solution of potassium permanganate, diluted in equal proportions with hydrogen peroxide and water, and a solution of furatsilin. It is also useful to use sea buckthorn, peach oils or Kalanchoe juice.
• Cleansing the body of toxic substances (iv injections or ingestion of 2-3 g of a 10% aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate).
• Increasing the resistance and adaptive abilities of the body with the help of drugs such as Lysozyme, Pyrogenal, etc.
• Taking vitamin supplements is especially important to eliminate possible deficiency of B vitamins, Fe and Zn ions.
• A treatment method that includes taking antihistamines and drugs that relieve swelling of the mucous membrane.
• Prevention of relapses using the drug Dekaris.
• Strict adherence to the diet: exclusion of foods with large amounts of salt, sugar, acids, spices, solid foods, alcohol, tobacco.
• In case of a recurrent disease, it is necessary to conduct a complete examination of the patient, since there is a high probability of the presence of undetected chronic diseases.

Candidiasis form

This type is caused by pathological reproduction of a fungus such as Candida in the oral cavity. This species is detected in all people in the oral cavity, but under certain circumstances it can enter the stage of active reproduction, leading to the development of pathology.

Candida fungi usually affect people with very weakened immune systems, those who have been treated for a long time with powerful antibiotics or steroid drugs, those infected with HIV or tubercle bacilli, and those with diabetes.

A distinctive sign of damage to the oral mucosa by fungi is the appearance of a white coating on the palate, inner surfaces of the cheeks, and the root of the tongue. Mechanical removal of fungal colonies from the mucosa leads to the appearance of painful foci of inflammation. The epithelium under the layers of fungal cells swells and turns red. In advanced cases, when layers of fungal colonies are layered on top of each other, erosive areas of tissue are formed underneath them. In addition, a fungal infection of the oral mucosa is accompanied by the appearance of cracks in the corners of the mouth (jam), a reduction in salivation, and unpleasant burning sensations and pain during eating and talking.

The treatment strategy includes the following measures:

• Oral administration of antifungal drugs in the form of tablets and capsules (Fluconazole or Diflucan, Irunin, Primafungin, Nystatin, Levorin, Candida or Clotrimazole).
• Local use of ointments and gels against fungal infections (nystatin and levorin ointments, Miconazole gel).
• Disinfection of the oral cavity and dentures (if any). The treatment is carried out using a solution of sodium bicarbonate, 2-4% glycerin solution of borax, glycerin iodine-containing solutions (Lugol, Iodinol).
• Since mushrooms are heterotrophs, the main source of nutrients for them are fast carbohydrates or, in other words, simple sugars that we consume in food. For the best effect, it is recommended to temporarily exclude foods high in simple carbohydrates (confectionery, flour products, etc.) from the diet.

If fungal infections of the oral cavity occur, you should visit an endocrinologist and gastroenterologist, since such infections are often preceded by more serious systemic pathologies.