Mouth Symptoms: Causes

What causes mouth symptoms?

Mouth symptoms can be related to a wide variety of diseases, disorders and conditions. Some causes of mouth symptoms are serious, even life threatening, such as an anaphylactic reaction. Other causes may be relatively mild, such as the common cold or dental problems.

Infectious causes of mouth symptoms

Viral, yeast and bacterial infections that can cause mouth symptoms include:

• Hairy leukoplakia (caused by Epstein-Barr virus; occurs most often in people with HIV/AIDS infection)

• Hand, foot, and mouth disease (caused by the coxsackievirus)

• Herpangina (infection of the throat and mouth caused by the coxsackievirus)

• HIV/AIDS

• Impetigo (infection commonly affecting children caused by Staphylococcus aureus or group A Streptococcus)

• Oral herpes virus infection (also known as herpetic stomatitis)

• Oral thrush (also called candidiasis, which is caused by the yeast Candida albicans)

• Strep throat (bacterial throat infection caused by group A Streptococcus)

Allergic causes of mouth symptoms

Mouth symptoms, particularly a swollen tongue or sores, can be due to allergic reactions including:

• Anaphylactic allergic reaction

• Food or drug allergy, such as penicillin or codeine

• Insect bite allergy, such as from a bee sting

Traumatic causes of mouth symptoms

Mouth symptoms can be caused by mouth trauma or irritated and inflamed tissues, which make the mouth more susceptible to infection. Traumatic causes include:

• Acid or corrosive chemical burn

• Biting the tongue, lips, or inside of the cheeks

• Burning the mouth, such as with hot liquids, hot food, or spicy food

• Laceration, abrasion or contusion of the mouth

Dental causes of mouth symptoms

Some mouth symptoms can be caused by dental problems or dental treatment including:

• Aggressive dental exam or cleaning

• Cavities

• Dental appliances, dentures, or jagged or misaligned teeth

• Gingivitis

• Periodontitis

• Teething (in infants and toddlers)

Common causes of mouth symptoms

Mouth symptoms can also be due to the following conditions or habits that are common in many people’s lives:

• Alcohol use

• Breathing through your mouth, which leads to a dry mouth

• Chapped lips

• Dehydration

• Dietary or nutritional deficiencies

• Dry mouth (xerostomia)

• Hormonal changes, such as menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause

• Medications

• Poor oral hygiene

• Smoking

• Stress

Genetic disorders that can cause mouth symptoms

Mouth symptoms can be due to genetic diseases, disorders, conditions, and birth defects including:

• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (congenital disorder)

• Down syndrome

• Hereditary angioedema (serious genetic disorder that causes periodic swelling of the throat and other areas)

• Lymphangioma (birth defect)

Other diseases, disorders and conditions that can cause mouth symptoms

Mouth symptoms can be due to a variety of other diseases, disorders and conditions including:

• Acromegaly (hormonal disorder)

• Burning mouth syndrome

• Diabetes (chronic disease that affects your body’s ability to use sugar for energy)

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

• Leukoplakia (precancerous sores in the oral cavity that can lead to cancer)

• Oral lichen planus (inflammatory disorder)

• Pellagra (skin lesions and other problems caused by deficiency in vitamin B₃, which is also known as niacin)

• Pernicious anemia (decrease in red blood cells due to poor vitamin B12 absorption)

• Salivary duct stone

• Sjögren's syndrome

• Tongue and oral cancer (commonly caused by human papillomavirus)

Questions for diagnosing the cause of mouth symptoms

To diagnose the underlying cause of mouth symptoms, your doctor or licensed health care provider will ask you several questions related to your symptoms. Giving complete answers to these questions will help your provider diagnose the underlying cause. Questions asked during your examination generally include:

• Is your tongue swollen? If so, is the whole tongue swollen or just a portion of the tongue? When did the tongue swelling start?

• When did the symptoms first appear?

• Did you eat any foods or have contact with any unusual substances before the symptoms started (for example, seafood, shellfish, latex, or an insect bite)?

• Do you have any pain?

• Do you smoke or use smokeless tobacco products?

• Have you had any changes in the texture or appearance of the tongue or skin on the mouth? Have you noticed any mouth sores or lesions?

• What is your medical and dental history? Have you had any recent infections or injuries?

• What medications, supplements, and herbal drugs are you taking?

What are the potential complications of mouth symptoms?

Complications associated with mouth symptoms can be progressive and vary depending on the underlying cause. Because mouth symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in complications and permanent damage. It is important to contact your health care provider when you have unexplained or persistent mouth symptoms. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important to follow the treatment plan you and your health care provider design specifically for you to lower your risk of potential complications including:

• Cancer

• Difficulty breathing (blocking the airway)

• Discomfort

• Respiratory arrest from anaphylactic shock

• Spread of infection

• Tongue removal due a serious infection or malignant condition