Each of us has had ulcers on the lip at least once, regardless of gender, age and other differences.
What does their presence mean? In what situations do ulcers occur in the mouth due to biting, and when should you seek help from a doctor? We will answer all questions in this article. Most often, painful mouth ulcers on the lip are found after a good night's sleep. It happens that you awkwardly laid your head, and your jaw shifted, and your teeth bit the soft tissue of the mucous membrane. The next morning, this place may swell, a small bubble will appear, which will cause pain when talking or eating. In such situations there is no need to worry. After a while, the ulcer on the inside of the lip will disappear. This usually takes a couple of hours or a day.
Much more unpleasant are cases when a painful mark does not disappear for several days, and subsequently similar formations are found in the mouth. They indicate that you are faced with ulcerative stomatitis. This is the name of an inflammatory disease that is accompanied by white sores on the lips, as well as on the palate, tongue and inner sides of the cheeks.
In a similar way, a complex form of stomatitis manifests itself, in which it is difficult to eat food, there is a tendency to dehydration and infectious infection (often diagnosed in patients with immunodeficiency).
The causes of the disease are:
- low immunity;
- alcohol and cigarette abuse;
- oral injuries;
- transfer of bacteria into the mouth through unwashed foods, household items, etc.;
- drinking low quality water and food.
In some situations, the disease can be triggered by allergic or toxic reactions to medications, materials and drugs used in dental procedures. Hormonal imbalances, circulatory problems, intestinal inflammation and stress also cause the disease.
What can cause an abscess on the lip? Possible causes and treatments
The appearance of a neoplasm in the form of a boil on the lip should at least alert you. Under no circumstances should you try to squeeze out such pustules yourself or pierce them. Otherwise, this may lead to the spread of purulent exudate throughout the adjacent soft tissues and, accordingly, to the development of complications. To understand how to get rid of such an unpleasant phenomenon, you first need to establish the cause of its occurrence. And for this it is better to contact a specialist. Read further in this article about why an abscess may appear on the inside or outside of the lip and what to do about it.
Features of the appearance of lacerated and cut wounds
This problem needs to be described separately, since a lacerated or cut wound is dangerous. The reasons are trivial - for example, the housewife, while preparing dinner, tasted food from a knife, cut herself, or the man was shaving and made a careless move, resulting in a cut. Such damage is dangerous due to infection. A bruised, lacerated wound may also occur due to a fall or blow to the mouth. After a bruise, you need to provide first aid and see a doctor. Such damage is characterized by swelling, bleeding, severe pain, and it is difficult for a person to eat and talk.
Regardless of how the lip is injured, bleeding usually occurs. It can be abundant, since the lip is penetrated by a large number of capillaries and vessels. What to do first? First you need to stop the bleeding. For this purpose, hydrogen peroxide is used; this product also has a bactericidal effect, so that germs will not get into the wound. Using a folded bandage or cotton swab soaked in peroxide, carefully treat the damaged area.
To slightly reduce the severity of pain and prevent the development of severe swelling, it is recommended to apply ice wrapped in a clean towel to the damaged area. Such manipulations also help stop bleeding, since the blood vessels constrict under the influence of cold. If the pain is very severe, you can take a painkiller tablet once. After first aid has been provided, it is important to visit a medical facility, since after a deep bruise or cut it is necessary to have the lip stitched.
Types of ulcers that may appear on the lip
The formation of a boil on the upper or lower lip is usually preceded by swelling and moderate pain. In the first couple of days, swelling and redness occur. Following them, a bubble with an abscess appears. Typically, patients complain of pain when trying to touch the tumor. If you do not respond to the symptom in time and do not start treatment, the boil will begin to fester. Sometimes, along with other symptoms, the patient’s health noticeably worsens and the temperature rises.
When herpes occurs, swelling appears
If this is a manifestation of herpes, then a blister with a clear liquid usually appears on the lip, which becomes covered with a crust after 3-4 days. This also causes itching, a feeling of tightness and pain. It is easier to stop an exacerbation of a viral infection if you start treatment at the reddening stage.
“Oh, I’m already tormented with this herpes. As soon as you get into a draft, it immediately pops up on your lip. All my life I have been saving myself with Acyclovir, as for me, they haven’t come up with anything better. By the way, regular toothpaste dries well, a proven old-fashioned method.”
Lenka1989, from correspondence on the woman.ru forum
Aphtha is an abscess inside the lip. Such rashes usually appear on the mucous membrane, and can be recognized by their white heads. As a rule, this is a sign of aphthous stomatitis, which can develop in both adults and children. In this case, neoplasms can be localized not only on the lips, but also on the inside of the cheeks and even on the tongue.
This is what aftas look like
Sometimes a lipoma is mistaken for a boil, but this is a pathological phenomenon of a completely different nature. This is a benign neoplasm, which is a dense node that forms inside the soft tissue. Essentially, this is a cavity filled with dead epithelial cells and fatty contents. Its removal is carried out surgically.
Why an abscess is dangerous - causes and possible complications
Sometimes an abscess on the lip appears as a consequence of a banal microtrauma of the skin. In such a situation, the symptom can be provoked by insufficient oral hygiene and the penetration of bacteria into the open wound. However, in other cases, the formation of a painful neoplasm is caused by overheating or hypothermia, stress and fatigue, disturbances in the functioning of the liver and kidneys, disruptions in the functioning of the sebaceous and sweat glands, taking potent medications, and vitamin deficiency due to a weakened immune system1.
Any neoplasm on the skin or mucous membrane carries a potential danger if you ignore it or try to remove it yourself. So, for example, with the development of herpes, there is a risk of infection spreading to surrounding tissues, reaching the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, eyes or genitals.
If the problem starts, serious complications can arise.
Inaction against the background of the development of stomatitis leads to an obvious deterioration of the patient’s condition and the development of complications. In the most severe cases, a boil on the upper lip risks leading to inflammation of the tissue near the defect, spreading the pathological process to the deep layers of the epidermis and even brain tissue. Against the background of a weakened immune system, a boil can develop into phlegmon or even an abscess. This is not a complete list of possible problems, so if suspicious symptoms appear, it is better to start treatment as quickly as possible.
How does herpes manifest?
In medicine, it is customary to distinguish 5 stages of the development of herpes simplex: 1. The first stage occurs when blisters appear. It manifests itself as burning and itching in the lip area, and its swelling. 2. The second stage begins with the appearance of bubbles. At first small, they grow and fill with clear liquid. After a couple of days the liquid becomes cloudy. 3. The third stage of the disease is characterized by rupture of the vesicles. In place of the burst blisters, ulcers with swelling form. This stage is dangerous due to the development of complications. The person at this moment is very contagious. 4. In the fourth stage, the ulcers become covered with a dense crust. 5. At the fifth stage, the crusts dry out and fall off. The symptoms go away. The person becomes no longer contagious.
Treatment options
The appearance of a boil on the lip usually requires complex treatment, but the cause of its occurrence must first be determined. As part of maintenance therapy, vitamin therapy is recommended to improve immunity. The doctor chooses a specific treatment vector based on the prerequisites for the appearance of the tumor:
- herpes - Acyclovir, Penciclovir or Docosanol ointments are prescribed. All of these drugs are most effective if therapy is started at the redness stage,
- aphthae - first you need to determine the type of stomatitis, and then, based on an accurate diagnosis, you can begin adequate treatment. Antiseptics Inhalipt, Actovegin or Stomatidin are usually prescribed. If it is a fungal form of the pathology, “Mikozon” or “Levorin” is prescribed; if it is an allergic form, “Suprastin” is prescribed.
- boils - local therapy is carried out using antiseptic solutions twice a day until the abscess ruptures. Compresses with Ichthyol ointment are also recommended. In some cases, the formation has to be opened in a hospital setting. Next, the wound is treated with antiseptics and ointment, for example, “Vishnevsky” is applied. Be sure to prescribe multivitamin complexes to strengthen the immune system.
For each specific case, you need to select the appropriate treatment. You
should consult a doctor if the boil has become of an impressive size, if there is a sharp deterioration in the condition, or an increase in temperature. The most important thing is not to try to open it yourself. Only a specialist can do this correctly and without the risk of undesirable consequences.
What does traditional medicine offer?
To speed up the maturation of the abscess and the healing of the wound, experts also recommend traditional medicine. But it is better to use them with the permission of a doctor. Otherwise, independent attempts to solve the problem can easily lead to the development of dangerous complications.
Thus, brewer's yeast, honey and baked onions effectively draw out purulent masses and promote the breakthrough of neoplasms. Since the appearance of ulcers on the lips is often preceded by disturbances in metabolic processes and a weakening of the body’s protective functions, first of all care should be taken to restore the immune system. Brewer's yeast contains useful components such as magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron - they help to quickly stop the pathological process and prevent its reappearance. Yeast should be taken before meals, approximately 1 hour before meals, 1 tablespoon at a time. People with hypersensitivity to the listed components and with kidney pathologies should refrain from this method.
The use of traditional medicine helps well in treatment
You can make a medicinal paste from honey. To do this, the product should be mixed with flour and a small amount of grated laundry soap in equal proportions. The result should be a substance resembling plasticine. A small ball should be applied to the boil as a compress, secured to the sore spot with a band-aid and left there for 3 hours. Another proven method that helps speed up the breakthrough of tumors is based on the use of baked onions. It is necessary to bake one head, then cut it into small pieces, wait until it cools completely, apply it to the causal area and secure it with a band-aid. It is recommended to carry out the procedure at night, leaving the compress on until the morning.
Laboratory diagnosis of herpes
The insidiousness of this virus is that there are no signs of herpes for a long time. A person may not be aware of his infection until the first vesicle appears on the lips.
But it is quite easy to detect it in a laboratory. For this, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method is used, which detects even a small amount of viral particles in biological material. It is suitable for early diagnosis, as it allows diagnosing the disease regardless of the timing of infection, even when the body has not developed an immune response [3].
If you examine antibodies, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is considered the most reliable. The body of the infected person begins to produce protective immunoglobulins G and M. IgM antibodies appear immediately after infection, and IgG antibodies are formed only after the first relapse.
Tests establish the presence of the virus and determine which of the two types it belongs to [4, 5].
Prevention measures
To prevent the appearance of a white abscess or boil on the lip, you need to ensure a high level of oral hygiene. It is important not only to regularly brush your teeth twice a day, but also to wash your face thoroughly and use suitable skin care products. Experts include the following measures as other preventive recommendations:
- try to avoid injuries to the skin, lips and mucous membranes,
- support immunity and lead a healthy lifestyle,
- move more and be outdoors more often,
- try to eat healthy foods, more vegetables and fruits,
- give up cigarettes and reduce the amount of alcohol consumed,
- promptly respond to any signs of a pathological process.
A healthy lifestyle will help strengthen the immune system.
If a wound or abrasion appears on your lip, you need to treat it with an antiseptic solution as soon as possible. If the tumor has already begun to form and, judging by all the signs, it can grow to a significant size, it is better to immediately consult a doctor and get professional recommendations for quick and effective treatment.
1Barer G. M. Therapeutic dentistry: textbook: Part 3. Diseases of the oral mucosa, 2009.
Therapy for other types of injuries
Wounds on the surface of the lip epithelium can appear at any time, so it is important to know how to treat the lip in such situations. In case of exacerbation of herpes, it is recommended to lubricate the mouth with special antiviral ointments (herpevir, acyclovir). The doctor also prescribes multivitamins and immunomodulators that will help cure the disease.
If the cause of the wound is stomatitis, it should be treated with soda gruel, sea buckthorn oil, and vitamin A. If there is a thermal burn, the injury site should be cooled and treated with a healing ointment. You cannot puncture the blister, as this can lead to an infection. If there are chemical burns, the chemical must first be neutralized. If an acid burn occurs, you need to use alkali, after neutralizing the substance, treat with an antiseptic solution and apply ointment on top.
If you have constantly dry mucous membranes and, as a result, cracks on your lips, it is recommended to take a course of vitamins A and E, so that new wounds will not appear. Before going outside, especially in windy or frosty weather, it is recommended to treat the skin with hygienic protective products - lipstick or balm. Treatment of ulcers from stomatitis is carried out only after determining its nature and cause. Stomatitis that is limited to the mouth can be aphthous, viral, fungal, or allergic.
Knowing the cause of the disease, the doctor can prescribe the correct treatment.
