In general, a sore on the roof of your mouth may have one of these four possible causes.
While nearly everyone will develop mouth sores at some point in their lives, it’s still worth examining closely when you get one. There are plenty of reasons why a sore might develop on the roof of your mouth, some of which are more benign than others. In general, a sore on the roof of your mouth may have one of these four possible causes.
Burns
Perhaps everyone knows the unpleasant feeling of a burn on the roof of their mouths – it’s happened to anyone who was a little too overzealous in biting into that first piece of pizza! However, while burns on the roof of your mouth are popularly known as “pizza palate” for that very reason, basically any hot food or drink can cause this to happen. A burned palate usually takes around 3-7 days to heal and can be soothed with cold drinks. If the pain is severe, your dentist may recommend a specially formulated mouthwash to help alleviate it.
Canker Sores
Most people associate canker sores with the cheeks, but they can also appear on the roof of your mouth as well. Scientists believe that these are caused by immune system problems which are then triggered by external factors such as stress, food intake, and hormonal changes. Canker sores usually go away after about two weeks on their own, but you can use over-the-counter or prescription pain-relieving gels to ease the pain during the recovery process.
Cold Sores
If the sore on the roof of your mouth doesn’t go away after two weeks, it may be a cold sore. While cold sores are most often found on the lips, for some people they can be found on the hard palate. They tend to heal on their own after about 8-10 days – during this time you should not touch or pick at them as you might be at risk of spreading the herpes simplex virus this way.
Oral Cancer
Sometimes, sores on the roof your mouth may be indicative of oral cancer. See your dentist as soon as possible if your sores don’t heal and go away after more than two weeks. The earlier oral cancer is caught, the more treatable it is.
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