Mouth sores are one common HIV symptom. In fact, due to a weakened immune system, between 32 and 46 percent of people with HIV develop complications in the mouth.
Those mouth sores can interfere with the well-being of a person. Those sores and infections are more difficult to manage in the case of HIV, and can also interfere with eating and medicine.
Herpes simplex, or cold sores
It’s more difficult for a person with HIV to fight off infections and viruses. Herpes simplex or oral herpes is one of the most common viruses that humans have. Oral herpes usually shows up in the mouth as red sores.
They may look like blisters when they show up outside the lips. Such bright, swollen bumps, called “fever blisters,” can be painful. Sometimes they are known as cold sores.
Someone may get oral herpes, but oral herpes could be more severe and last longer in someone with HIV or a compromised immune system.
Treatment: Drug-treatable oral herpes. A health care provider will probably prescribe an antiviral treatment, acyclovir. This drug tends to mitigate new outbreaks.
Keep taking all prescription drugs unless otherwise stated by a health care provider.
Aphthous ulcers, or canker sores
Canker sores are common mouth lesions that can cause pain, especially as they are not going away on their own. Generally, they are red, but may also be covered with a gray or yellow film. Aphthous ulcers are also known as canker sores.
They tend to develop inside their cheeks, inside their lips, and around their tongue. These positions will make the sores feel more painful as they move while someone is talking or eating.
Canker sores aren’t HIV symptoms, but HIV can increase the risk of recurrent and serious sores. Other factors that can cause canker sores include tension, acidic foods, and deficiencies in minerals which include:
- iron
- zinc
- niacin (vitamin B-3)
- folate
- glutathione
- carnitine
- cobalamin (vitamin B-12)
Eating hot or spicy foods can also cause increased canker sore’s pain.
Treatment: Over-the-counter ( OTC) creams and mouthwashes can minimize swelling and sores in mild cases. Only saltwater can be used to treat canker sores.
When anyone has a bad case of canker sores, corticosteroids can be administered in the form of a tablet. Consider topical anesthetic sprays for cases of chronic sores that conflict with meals. This could be helping to numb the area.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) warts
HPV has the potential to cause warts around the mouth or lips. Warts can look like tiny cauliflower-like bumps, or with folded or projected masses. They can sprout around the mouth and inside.
Warts are usually white, but can also be pink or brown. These usually aren’t harmful, but they can be humiliating. HPV mouth warts can be selected and bleed at, depending on their location.
HPV is also closely related to oropharyngeal cancer, or cancer of the throat.
Treatment: Surgery must be done by a health care provider to remove warts. A prescription cream can be used for lip warts but there is no oral drug for the treatment of warts.
Candidiasis, or thrush
Thrush is a yeast infection that appears anywhere inside the mouth as white, yellowish, or red patches. The patches are sensitive and when unintentionally cleaned, can bleed or burn.
In some situations, thrush across the mouth may cause painful cracks. It is called angular cheilitis. Thrush, if left untreated, will spread to the throat too.
Treatment: Antifungal mouthwash is the standard course of treatment for a moderate thrush. But HIV can also boost resistance to this infection. A health care provider can prescribe oral antifungal pills if that is the case.
Gum disease and dry mouth
While these are not sores, common problems are gum disease (gingivitis) and dry mouth.
Gum disease causes inflammation of the gums, which can be painful. In extreme cases, it can cause loss of gum or teeth in as quickly as 18 months. Gum disease may also be a sign of inflammation, which raises the risk of heart and stroke disease.
A dry mouth happens when a person produces not enough saliva. Saliva can help both protect the teeth and prevent infections. The teeth and gums are vulnerable to plaque development, without saliva. It can exacerbate the gum condition, too.
Treatment: Consistently drink water, floss, and brush to keep the mouth clean and hydrated. With gum disease, a dentist uses a thorough cleaning procedure to extract the plaque.
If the dry mouth continues, ask a healthcare professional for alternatives to saliva.
Infections
Infections may result from untreated mouth sores. When someone is eating or brushing their teeth, canker and cold sores can pop up. Warts and thrush can be taken up accidentally. The open wounds leave an even more susceptible person to infections.
Dry mouth also raises the risk of infection, as there is insufficient saliva to combat bacteria naturally.
Talk to a health-care professional about mouth sores treatment. Treatment immediately increases the number of mouth sores and the risk of infection. Tenvir Tablet is used to treat HIV infection and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in combination with other anti-HIV medicines. It prevents the multiplication of viruses in human cells. This stops the virus from producing new viruses and clears up your infection.
Preventive oral care
Some of the easiest ways to treat and avoid mouth sores associated with HIV is by visiting a dentist for daily check-ups.
A dentist can detect problems early on or help avoid a worsening of sores. Let them know about mouth sores or diseases that aren’t going anywhere. We can assist with the diagnosis and pain control.
The key to treating HIV is consistently visiting a health care provider and taking medicine. Finding mouth sores will make it more difficult to take the drug. Whether there are any issues that conflict with treatment, consider talking to a healthcare provider. When purchasing medicine online, we recommend safe healths pharmacy it is a trusted online pharmacy.
