Stomatitis - causes and signs of stomatitis

There are the following forms of stomatitis:

• catarrhal - occurs most often; is characterized by swelling and soreness of the oral mucosa and the appearance of yellow or white plaque;
• ulcerative - occurs as an independent disease or as a complication of catarrhal stomatitis. It is manifested by significant damage to the mucous membrane, an increase in body temperature, an increase in lymph nodes;

• aphthous - is characterized by the appearance of small ulcers (aphthae) of a gray-white hue, deterioration in health and an increase in body temperature; can occur in acute or chronic form;
• candidal - occurs as a result of damage to the oral cavity by a fungus of the genus Candida, more often occurs in children and the elderly;
• herpetic - develops as a result of damage to the body by the herpes simplex virus; manifests itself in the form of small blisters, resembling aphthae in appearance.

Causes

Stomatitis can occur as a result of the following factors:

• lack of vitamins and microelements in the body;
• damaging effects on the oral mucosa of bacteria, fungi or viruses;
• violation of oral hygiene rules;
• eating contaminated food;
• mechanical injuries to the oral cavity resulting from the use of dentures, accidental biting of the mucous membrane with teeth, etc.;
• long-term use of toothpastes containing sodium lauryl sulfate;
• caries;
• taking medications, the side effect of which is a decrease in the production of saliva.

Stomatitis can also be caused by diseases of the digestive system, metabolic disorders, nervous disorders, taking certain medications and smoking.

Symptoms

The development of stomatitis is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms:

• swelling of the oral mucosa and its redness;
• the appearance of ulcers covered with a gray-white coating, or blisters;
• an increase in the size of the submandibular or cervical lymph nodes;
• an increase in body temperature.

Diagnostics

The main methods for diagnosing stomatitis are:

• general examination of the oral cavity cavity;
• diagnostics using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to identify the causative agent of the disease (Candida fungus or herpes);
• bacterial culture of a smear (scraping) taken from the oral mucosa.

Treatment

Treatment of the disease is carried out by a dentist and consists of the following measures:

• treatment of the oral cavity with anesthetic solutions, antibacterial agents;
• use of antifungal or antiviral ointments;
• use of agents that accelerate the healing of the epithelium of the mucous membrane;
• physiotherapeutic procedures (magnetic therapy, ultraviolet irradiation, etc.);
• exclusion from the diet of very hard, spicy, hot, cold food and alcoholic beverages.

Prevention

The occurrence of stomatitis can be prevented by following these recommendations:

• regular oral hygiene;
• timely treatment of caries and elimination of other sources of chronic infection in the body;
• removal of plaque in the dentist's office - if necessary;
• rational nutrition that helps maintain immunity at a sufficiently high level;
• immediate treatment of the oral cavity with an antiseptic disinfectant solution in case of mechanical injury to the mucous membrane by teeth, hard food particles or other objects.