Bubbles in the mouth

Introduction

Blisters in the mouth are a common phenomenon that occurs in children and adults alike and can be a symptom of various diseases. The oral mucosa is very sensitive. Inflammations and small damages can cause unpleasant pain, which is especially noticeable when in contact with acidic food or liquids.

Infections or injuries of the oral mucosa can therefore considerably disturb the absorption of food and liquids even to a small extent. But what are these annoying blisters in the mouth actually about? The painful areas are usually the expression of a regionally damaged oral mucosa. Often it is an infection, but it is not always contagious.

Causes for the development of vesicles in the mouth

By far the most common cause of blisters in the mouth are so-called aphtae. These occur in children and adults and are harmless. These unpleasant changes in the mucous membrane can occur anywhere in the mouth.

On inspection, a whitish, non-wipable coating is usually found on a spot that is sharply delineated by a red seam. An aphthae usually begins as a small, reddish blister, which quickly grows into a small ulcer, called a mucosal ulceration in medical terminology. The factors that trigger an aphthae are still largely unclear.

Stress, hormonal factors, food intolerances and impairments of the immune system are discussed. Aphthae can occur individually or in groups on the oral mucosa. One speaks of habitual aphthae when aphthae occur repeatedly in an individual.

Apart from pain when eating or speaking, there are no other complaints. Another cause of blisters in the mouth is the so-called herpangina. Here, there are many vesicles with a strongly reddened rim, which are mainly grouped around the soft palate.

There are also pronounced general symptoms with fever, fatigue, headache and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck. Sometimes the entire oral cavity is reddened and painful. Although the name suggests an infection with herpes viruses, the disease is caused by the Coxsackie virus.

Infection with the herpes virus is another disease that owes its colloquial name “mouth rot” to the typical strong bad breath that occurs in those affected. The so-called stomatitis aphthosa is the initial infection with the herpes simplex virus type 1, which also causes lip herpes. As it is the initial infection with a very common virus, the disease mostly affects small children.

There are numerous blisters that affect the entire oral mucosa and are surrounded by a reddened rim. This is accompanied by fever and a pronounced feeling of illness. Since the intake of food and fluids is considerably more difficult, small children are particularly at risk from dehydration.

Occasionally, the varicella zoster virus responsible for chickenpox can also cause unpleasant blisters on the face and the mucous membrane of the mouth. The viruses are able to survive in the body after surviving chickenpox and spread along the nervous system. Thus they can cause recurring painful infections of the skin and mucous membranes.

In addition to viral infections, fungal disease can also be responsible for blisters in the mouth. The so-called oral thrush is an infection of the oral mucosa with the yeast fungus Candida albicans. This also occurs on the skin of many healthy people and usually does not cause any discomfort.

Therefore, an infection of the oral mucosa usually only occurs in small children or in immunocompromised persons. There is a whitish, non-detachable coating in the mouth which is typical for the disease. Blisters and painful ulcers also occur.

Burning and weeping blisters on the lip, this is the widely known picture of herpes infection. However, an infection with herpes viruses can affect other parts of the body. These include, for example, genital herpes or an extremely painful inflammation of the eyes that requires immediate treatment.

The initial infection with the herpes virus can lead to a more severe course of the disease in an organism that has not yet dealt with the pathogen. Since the herpes simplex virus is very common, this affects children in particular. Stomatitis aphthosa is the initial infection with the herpes simplex virus, which also causes cold sores.

The entire mucous membrane of the mouth is affected with painful blisters, which are characterised by a strongly reddened rim. This is typically accompanied by severe bad breath and high fever and fatigue. Vesicles in the mouth are a common problem in children.

While aphthae occur equally in children and adults, herpangina and stomatitis aphthosa are typical childhood diseases. Oral thrush is also more common in children than in healthy adults. Another disease that mainly affects children before the age of ten is the hand-mouth-foot disease.

Like herpangina, it is caused by coxsackie viruses and begins with general symptoms such as fever and fatigue. After a few days, painful blisters of the oral mucosa develop. After a short time, the blisters turn into small ulcers characterized by a greasy coating.

In the further course of the disease a rash with blisters develops in the area of the mouth, hands and feet. Due to the not inconsiderable itching and pain, the children are very restless. Since the formation of blisters in the mouth often leads to a refusal to eat, the child’s severe distress usually also affects the parents.

All currently known antiviral drugs are ineffective. An alleviation of the symptoms can be achieved by using painkilling mouthwashes and gels. The disease has a good prognosis and usually heals within 7-10 days.

There is a risk of infection for contact persons. The child must therefore stay away from community facilities such as kindergarten at least for the duration of the symptoms. Children often react to pain from blisters in the mouth by refusing to eat or drink. This is a great challenge for the parents, as the child’s organism is in particular danger of drying out. Drinking with a straw usually makes it easier for the little ones to absorb fluids.