Pregnant women suffer from canker sores or mouth ulcers, although not necessarily a serious health condition. However, this condition can be uncomfortable in the long run if there is no proper treatment.
Due to a weakened immune system and a hormonal imbalance, a cold sore can occur at any time. Fortunately, a cold sore during pregnancy is not a sign that a pregnancy is in trouble and can be easily cured.
There are 3 different types of mouth ulcers, including:
Mild mouth ulcers: This is the most common type of stomatitis during pregnancy. They will be small in diameter, about 2 - 9mm, appear on the lining of the mouth, gums and tongue. Mouth sores or gum sores usually last 2 to 5 days in non-pregnant people and can take up to 10 days for pregnant women.
Severe mouth ulcers: This condition is less common than small mouth ulcers in pregnant women. Severe mouth sores are usually around 10 mm in diameter and sometimes take anywhere from a few weeks to a month to heal. They are easy to see on the surface of the tongue, gums, oral mucosa and even inside the throat. These sores can leave scarring and pain.
Herpetiform ulcers: This oral ulcer is caused by a virus. It has a very small diameter, about 1 mm. They usually appear in many places with dozens of ulcers. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to heal and sometimes scarring.
A cold sore can appear at any time during pregnancy. This is because the immune system of pregnant women gradually becomes weaker and hormone levels are also imbalanced. In addition, other culprits for this oral condition also include:
Vitamin deficiency: Mouth sores are a symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency
Stress: Another important reason why pregnant women get mouth ulcers is stress during pregnancy
Insomnia: Lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalances in pregnant women, resulting in many side effects, such as mouth ulcers.
Poor immune system : A weak immune system easily causes dental conditions to appear
Zinc deficiency: These sores are also a manifestation of zinc deficiency in pregnant mothers
Diet: An unbalanced diet also makes pregnant women more susceptible to mouth ulcers. The reason is that at this time, you are not getting enough nutrients needed by the body.
The most common symptom of an ulcer is a wound that appears inside the mouth. In addition, there are a number of manifestations to accurately identify the condition, including:
Fever
Halitosis
Itchy tongue, gums
Having trouble eating
Burning pain inside the mouth, especially in the tongue and oral cavity.
Pregnant women with mouth sores in the 3rd trimester may also feel tired or even experience root bleeding if the condition becomes severe.
There are many different ways to treat mouth ulcers, from natural remedies to medications. Using an ointment may be the easiest way to treat a cold sore, but pregnant mothers carefully read the ingredients because some products will contain steroids, which are easy to affect the fetus in the abdomen.
Some home remedies for canker sores to try include:
Saltwater is a natural antiseptic as well as a great natural remedy for canker sores. If you feel a cold sore starting to appear, pregnant women should regularly rinse your mouth with salt water. This will help relieve pain and speed up the healing process.
Baking soda is alkaline and has the ability to neutralize the acids in the mouth as well as kill bacteria in the mouth. This will help the sore heal faster. Pregnant mothers just need to mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with half a cup of warm water and rinse your mouth. For best results, do this twice a day.
Apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid. This acid can help keep bad bacteria in check and maintain a healthy oral microflora, which in turn aids the sore to heal. How to use apple cider vinegar is quite simple, you can do it in two ways:
Mix with vegetables in salad dressings
Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to 250 ml of water and rinse your mouth
Studies have shown that basil has anti-microbial properties. It also prevents infection and helps soothe ulcers. Therefore, chew a few fresh basil leaves with each meal. Pregnant mothers can also soak the leaves in hot water and use as mouthwash.
Chamomile tea is quite effective in helping to heal mouth sores as well as shortening the time of a cold sore. You can drink a cup of warm tea before going to bed or place a tea bag on top of the sore to help relieve pain.
In addition to medicinal or natural remedies, create these habits to help prevent cold sores during pregnancy:
Drink enough water
Avoid spicy foods
Limit feelings of stress
Gargle with warm salt water
Supplement vitamins, especially vitamin B12
Floss your teeth with a floss or water floss regularly
Use mouthwash regularly to kill bad bacteria.
When a canker sore attacks, many pregnant mothers will have difficulty in eating due to the hindrance of ulcers. However, you should still pay attention to nutritional issues to provide enough energy for daily activities as well as for the development of the fetus. On the other hand, some dishes for pregnant mothers in case of cold sores include:
Yogurt
Green vegetables
Tea or black bean juice
Tomato juice, lemon juice
Chilled fruits like apples, plums, oranges.
Pregnant women with cold sores, although not necessarily a serious problem, but you should still pay attention and seek treatment so that the cold sore does not affect daily life.
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