Overview
Mouth infections characterized by mouth sores and inflammation that affect the soft tissues of the mouth including the lips, cheeks, gums, tongue, as well as the floor and roof of the mouth. Mouth infections can be due to bacterial, viral or fungal infections. Some of the risk factors are poor oral hygiene, poorly fitted dentures, damaged tooth, hot food, tobacco products, highly acidic foods, chemotherapeutic drugs, and malnutrition. Other than that, certain medical conditions such as candidiasis, herpes simplex, and lichen planus may lead to mouth infections as well. Some signs and symptoms of mouth infections are pain in the mouth, pain upon chewing or eating, difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in opening mouth widely, bad breath, abscess, bad taste in the mouth, burning sensation in the mouth, fever, chills, and loss of appetite. Mouth infections are treated based on the cause of the infections.