Abscess on the lip: possible causes and treatment methods

Each of us has had ulcers on the lip at least once, regardless of gender, age and other differences.
What does their presence mean? In what situations do ulcers occur in the mouth due to biting, and when should you seek help from a doctor? We will answer all questions in this article. Most often, painful mouth ulcers on the lip are found after a good night's sleep. It happens that you awkwardly laid your head, and your jaw shifted, and your teeth bit the soft tissue of the mucous membrane. The next morning, this place may swell, a small bubble will appear, which will cause pain when talking or eating. In such situations there is no need to worry. After a while, the ulcer on the inside of the lip will disappear. This usually takes a couple of hours or a day.

Much more unpleasant are cases when a painful mark does not disappear for several days, and subsequently similar formations are found in the mouth. They indicate that you are faced with ulcerative stomatitis. This is the name of an inflammatory disease that is accompanied by white sores on the lips, as well as on the palate, tongue and inner sides of the cheeks.

In a similar way, a complex form of stomatitis manifests itself, in which it is difficult to eat food, there is a tendency to dehydration and infectious infection (often diagnosed in patients with immunodeficiency).

The causes of the disease are:

low immunity;
alcohol and cigarette abuse;
oral injuries;
transfer of bacteria into the mouth through unwashed foods, household items, etc.;
drinking low quality water and food.

In some situations, the disease can be triggered by allergic or toxic reactions to medications, materials and drugs used in dental procedures. Hormonal imbalances, circulatory problems, intestinal inflammation and stress also cause the disease.

What can cause an abscess on the lip? Possible causes and treatments

The appearance of a neoplasm in the form of a boil on the lip should at least alert you. Under no circumstances should you try to squeeze out such pustules yourself or pierce them. Otherwise, this may lead to the spread of purulent exudate throughout the adjacent soft tissues and, accordingly, to the development of complications. To understand how to get rid of such an unpleasant phenomenon, you first need to establish the cause of its occurrence. And for this it is better to contact a specialist. Read further in this article about why an abscess may appear on the inside or outside of the lip and what to do about it.

Variety No. 5: cyst

You may have a cyst on your lip, like in the photo. As a rule, pathology appears on the lower lip (from the inside, that is, in the mouth, or from the outside). It grows very slowly and is not prone to degeneration into an oncological tumor. At first, a ball with transparent contents forms on the soft tissues, but as it grows it thickens and becomes whitish.

The photo shows a cyst

The cyst is usually painless. However, if a cyst under your lip hurts, this indicates that you have injured it, or it has become inflamed due to bacteria getting inside, which again can occur due to damage to the skin and the appearance of microcracks on them.

In medical practice, a lip cyst is also called “retention”, “mucous” or “mucocele”. The appearance of the pathology is associated with blockage of the salivary glands and various injuries to delicate tissues (burns, scratches, biting). If the sore is localized in the mouth under the lip (on the inside), then systematic damage to the tissues by poorly manufactured and installed orthopedic and orthodontic structures, chipped teeth, and malocclusion could contribute to its appearance. It can also occur in those who have pierced themselves.

Should I consult a doctor about this problem or not? Experts say that such cysts have a tendency to resolve on their own. However, if this does not happen, or the sore under the lower lip begins to hurt, has greatly increased in size, causes serious concern, and spoils the aesthetics of your smile, then be sure to make an appointment with a doctor. Usually, if a cyst has formed on the lip, then all treatment consists of surgical excision. The safest, atraumatic and painless option is using a laser.

Types of ulcers that may appear on the lip

The formation of a boil on the upper or lower lip is usually preceded by swelling and moderate pain. In the first couple of days, swelling and redness occur. Following them, a bubble with an abscess appears. Typically, patients complain of pain when trying to touch the tumor. If you do not respond to the symptom in time and do not start treatment, the boil will begin to fester. Sometimes, along with other symptoms, the patient’s health noticeably worsens and the temperature rises.

When herpes occurs, swelling appears

If this is a manifestation of herpes, then a blister with a clear liquid usually appears on the lip, which becomes covered with a crust after 3-4 days. This also causes itching, a feeling of tightness and pain. It is easier to stop an exacerbation of a viral infection if you start treatment at the reddening stage.

“Oh, I’m already tormented with this herpes. As soon as you get into a draft, it immediately pops up on your lip. All my life I have been saving myself with Acyclovir, as for me, they haven’t come up with anything better. By the way, regular toothpaste dries well, a proven old-fashioned method.”
Lenka1989, from correspondence on the woman.ru forum

Aphtha is an abscess inside the lip. Such rashes usually appear on the mucous membrane, and can be recognized by their white heads. As a rule, this is a sign of aphthous stomatitis, which can develop in both adults and children. In this case, neoplasms can be localized not only on the lips, but also on the inside of the cheeks and even on the tongue.

This is what aftas look like

Sometimes a lipoma is mistaken for a boil, but this is a pathological phenomenon of a completely different nature. This is a benign neoplasm, which is a dense node that forms inside the soft tissue. Essentially, this is a cavity filled with dead epithelial cells and fatty contents. Its removal is carried out surgically.

Variety No. 1: herpes

If a white sore appears under or on your lip, as in the photo below, then you may have herpes. By the way, this is the most common and common pathology of all possible (about 90% of the world's population is susceptible to it), because the herpes virus lives dormant in any organism.

The photo shows herpes

What activates the herpes virus? Weakened immunity, hypothermia (it’s not for nothing that herpes is often called a “cold”), stress, infectious diseases, vitamin deficiency, physical and emotional overload, hormonal changes. Elderly people, pregnant and lactating women are very susceptible to the problem. Some researchers have also found that the disease can be triggered by microtraumas of the skin and mucous membranes of the lips, including those received during dental procedures1.

By the way, the pathology is contagious. It is likely that you simply “picked up” her from a close circle of friends through the use of shared towels, cutlery and dishes, through kisses.

Main symptoms: in appearance, the neoplasm resembles a bubble (or several of them, and they then merge with each other) filled with liquid. After a few days, the blister bursts, becomes crusty, gradually dries out, and normally after 7-10 days only a pink spot remains on the skin, which gradually fades.

The herpes virus can make itself felt through sores in the mouth and lip up to 1-2 times a year, which is considered quite normal. But if pathology bothers you more often, then you should sound the alarm and go for examination to doctors, since internal diseases of the body, against the background of which the immune system is greatly weakened, may be to blame.

Usually, before a herpes sore appears under the lip, a person experiences itching and redness of the skin. And once these symptoms are detected, it is worth taking action, namely, starting to apply antiviral drugs like Acyclovir and Docosanol to the skin. It will also be useful to start taking vitamin and mineral complexes to strengthen the immune system.

“Almost every year I get this ugly herpetic lesion in my mouth under my lower lip. Do not smear it with creams, it still goes through all its stages from redness to the appearance of a bubble, and then a crust. Even though I take my vitamins every year, and I watch my diet, and I try not to stress too much, I still can’t get rid of this problem... At the same time, I even had an examination with a therapist, and they didn’t reveal any health problems for me...”

Marina K, review from 32top.ru

Why an abscess is dangerous - causes and possible complications

Sometimes an abscess on the lip appears as a consequence of a banal microtrauma of the skin. In such a situation, the symptom can be provoked by insufficient oral hygiene and the penetration of bacteria into the open wound. However, in other cases, the formation of a painful neoplasm is caused by overheating or hypothermia, stress and fatigue, disturbances in the functioning of the liver and kidneys, disruptions in the functioning of the sebaceous and sweat glands, taking potent medications, and vitamin deficiency due to a weakened immune system1.

Any neoplasm on the skin or mucous membrane carries a potential danger if you ignore it or try to remove it yourself. So, for example, with the development of herpes, there is a risk of infection spreading to surrounding tissues, reaching the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, eyes or genitals.

If the problem starts, serious complications can arise.

Inaction against the background of the development of stomatitis leads to an obvious deterioration of the patient’s condition and the development of complications. In the most severe cases, a boil on the upper lip risks leading to inflammation of the tissue near the defect, spreading the pathological process to the deep layers of the epidermis and even brain tissue. Against the background of a weakened immune system, a boil can develop into phlegmon or even an abscess. This is not a complete list of possible problems, so if suspicious symptoms appear, it is better to start treatment as quickly as possible.

Comments

Painful cracks appeared not on my lip itself, but in the corners of my mouth. This is the first time... What could it be?

Anna (10/27/2020 at 4:02 pm) Reply to comment

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (02.11.2020 at 09:26) Reply to comment

What vitamins should you take to prevent your immune system from weakening? My herpes may appear once a year, or it may not appear at all for a long time. It happened completely differently, one year without signs, and another up to 2 times, but besides this, he doesn’t come out alone. This is fine?

Yuri (11/20/2020 at 4:18 pm) Reply to comment

Hello! I often get herpes. I've had this problem since school. Sometimes, it remains at the initial stage of burning and redness, and goes away on its own if left undisturbed. And sometimes it develops and goes through all stages. I just can’t understand in what cases it can be avoided?

Kamila (11/20/2020 at 6:52 pm) Reply to comment

Good evening! Please tell me, can the above diseases be transmitted through the saliva of pets? Mostly interested in herpes. Is it the dentist who deals with these problems, or can I see another doctor?

Anna Novikova (11/20/2020 at 07:59 pm) Reply to comment

I thought that it was only herpes or that they cracked and became slightly inflamed due to frost. Prevention of all these diseases, first of all, personal hygiene or even a lack of vitamins can work?

Olga (11/20/2020 at 8:31 pm) Reply to comment

Good afternoon There was a small spot on the edge of my lip that looked like a body like a camera. What could it be?

Elena (06/03/2021 at 09:27) Reply to comment

Sorry, red body

Elena (06/03/2021 at 09:31) Reply to comment

Write your comment Cancel reply

Treatment options

The appearance of a boil on the lip usually requires complex treatment, but the cause of its occurrence must first be determined. As part of maintenance therapy, vitamin therapy is recommended to improve immunity. The doctor chooses a specific treatment vector based on the prerequisites for the appearance of the tumor:

herpes - Acyclovir, Penciclovir or Docosanol ointments are prescribed. All of these drugs are most effective if therapy is started at the redness stage,
aphthae - first you need to determine the type of stomatitis, and then, based on an accurate diagnosis, you can begin adequate treatment. Antiseptics Inhalipt, Actovegin or Stomatidin are usually prescribed. If it is a fungal form of the pathology, “Mikozon” or “Levorin” is prescribed; if it is an allergic form, “Suprastin” is prescribed.
boils - local therapy is carried out using antiseptic solutions twice a day until the abscess ruptures. Compresses with Ichthyol ointment are also recommended. In some cases, the formation has to be opened in a hospital setting. Next, the wound is treated with antiseptics and ointment, for example, “Vishnevsky” is applied. Be sure to prescribe multivitamin complexes to strengthen the immune system.

For each specific case, you need to select the appropriate treatment. You
should consult a doctor if the boil has become of an impressive size, if there is a sharp deterioration in the condition, or an increase in temperature. The most important thing is not to try to open it yourself. Only a specialist can do this correctly and without the risk of undesirable consequences.

Variety No. 6: boil, or boil

A white sore under or above the lip, which is filled with pus and hurts, is a boil, that is, purulent-necrotic inflammation of the sebaceous or hair gland and the surrounding connective tissue. Of course, the formation does not immediately become purulent. At first, only swelling and redness of the tissues are noted, later a painful abscess appears.

The main causes of the problem: injuries and bacteria entering wounds due to non-compliance with personal hygiene rules.

This is what a boil on the lip looks like

If immunity is good, then the boil forms within 4-5 days, after which it opens spontaneously. Pus and blood come out of it, and all you have to do is carefully treat the wound with Miramistin or Chlorhexidine until complete healing, and also take vitamin and mineral complexes to strengthen the immune system. To speed up the spontaneous rupture of the boil, you can make applications with ichthyol ointment.

If the immune system is weak due to chronic diseases, and also if you have tried to squeeze out the pus on your own ahead of time, the boil can be complicated by an abscess, phlegmon and even sepsis.

In general, often sores on the lip are a completely harmless phenomenon. They may simply be the result of an allergy to some food product or hygiene product. In this case, it will be enough to eliminate the irritating factor and take an antihistamine like Erius, Suprastin, Zodak. But sometimes they indicate serious problems in the body that require contacting a specialist.

In any case, be attentive to your health. If wounds and abrasions appear on the lips, or if there are injuries, do not forget to treat the tissue with antiseptics. If you find a formation that does not go away for a long time, grows and causes concern, then it is better not to delay contacting a doctor.

Notice

: Undefined variable: post_id in
/home/c/ch75405/public_html/wp-content/themes/UltraSmile/single-item.php
on line
45 Notice
: Undefined variable: full in
/home/c/ch75405/public_html/wp-content /themes/UltraSmile/single-item.php
on line
46

Rate this article:

( 4 ratings, average: 4.25 out of 5)

prevention

Kazantseva I.A. The effectiveness of acyclovir in the prevention of recurrent herpes of the lips after dental treatment // Bulletin of the Russian Peoples' Friendship University (Series: Medicine). – 2008.

Expert “Do not try to cure aphthous stomatitis on your own, because the set of medications will directly depend on the factor that caused the disease. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. So, for fungal infections, antifungal drugs are prescribed, for viral infections, antiviral drugs. With such a problem, it is better to seek advice from a dentist or general practitioner.” Dentist-therapist Elena Vladimirovna Orlova

What does traditional medicine offer?

To speed up the maturation of the abscess and the healing of the wound, experts also recommend traditional medicine. But it is better to use them with the permission of a doctor. Otherwise, independent attempts to solve the problem can easily lead to the development of dangerous complications.

Thus, brewer's yeast, honey and baked onions effectively draw out purulent masses and promote the breakthrough of neoplasms. Since the appearance of ulcers on the lips is often preceded by disturbances in metabolic processes and a weakening of the body’s protective functions, first of all care should be taken to restore the immune system. Brewer's yeast contains useful components such as magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron - they help to quickly stop the pathological process and prevent its reappearance. Yeast should be taken before meals, approximately 1 hour before meals, 1 tablespoon at a time. People with hypersensitivity to the listed components and with kidney pathologies should refrain from this method.

The use of traditional medicine helps well in treatment

You can make a medicinal paste from honey. To do this, the product should be mixed with flour and a small amount of grated laundry soap in equal proportions. The result should be a substance resembling plasticine. A small ball should be applied to the boil as a compress, secured to the sore spot with a band-aid and left there for 3 hours. Another proven method that helps speed up the breakthrough of tumors is based on the use of baked onions. It is necessary to bake one head, then cut it into small pieces, wait until it cools completely, apply it to the causal area and secure it with a band-aid. It is recommended to carry out the procedure at night, leaving the compress on until the morning.

Diagnostics

If you find white ulcers on the inside of your lips, you need to visit a dentist who will examine the oral cavity and give a correct assessment of the aphthae. To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must know the following information:

how long ago the ulcers appeared;
whether something preceded
what kind of injuries have you had recently;
what diseases have you had in the past;
whether similar ulcers have occurred before;
whether there were similar cases among relatives.

In some cases, after a visual examination, the doctor immediately makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment. In other cases, a blood test, scraping or biopsy is additionally required.

If the dentist decides that the examination of such an ulcer is not within his competence, he will redirect the patient to other specialized specialists.

For further study of aphthae, the help of doctors such as:

therapist;
endocrinologist;
gastroenterologist;
immunologist

If ulcers occur repeatedly, the patient is able to diagnose his condition himself and begin conventional treatment, but it is still better to see a doctor.

Prevention measures

To prevent the appearance of a white abscess or boil on the lip, you need to ensure a high level of oral hygiene. It is important not only to regularly brush your teeth twice a day, but also to wash your face thoroughly and use suitable skin care products. Experts include the following measures as other preventive recommendations:

try to avoid injuries to the skin, lips and mucous membranes,
support immunity and lead a healthy lifestyle,
move more and be outdoors more often,
try to eat healthy foods, more vegetables and fruits,
give up cigarettes and reduce the amount of alcohol consumed,
promptly respond to any signs of a pathological process.

A healthy lifestyle will help strengthen the immune system.
If a wound or abrasion appears on your lip, you need to treat it with an antiseptic solution as soon as possible. If the tumor has already begun to form and, judging by all the signs, it can grow to a significant size, it is better to immediately consult a doctor and get professional recommendations for quick and effective treatment.

1Barer G. M. Therapeutic dentistry: textbook: Part 3. Diseases of the oral mucosa, 2009.

Variety No. 3: cheilitis

What it is? This is an inflammatory process that affects the mucous membrane and skin of the lips. It does not occur in the mouth, but on the lip. Therefore, if you have a white spot there that hurts, then it is very likely that the problem is cheilitis.

In this case, a characteristic symptom does not appear immediately and, as a rule, already indicates that the process is neglected. In the first stages of pathology, a person usually experiences swelling, redness and peeling of the lips. And only later do small blisters, bleeding and purulent ulcers appear on them, and severe pain occurs both in a calm state and when trying to speak, chew food, or open the mouth.

This is what cheilitis looks like

There are many reasons for the pathology: allergies, Candida fungus, hypothermia or, conversely, overheating of the body and prolonged exposure to the sun, hereditary factors, thyroid dysfunction, injuries, poor hygiene. Some types of cheilitis can be contracted by using other people's cosmetics (for example, lipstick).

It should also be emphasized that doctors distinguish different types of cheilitis (true and symptomatic), and the treatment plan depends on the type of disease. So, in combination, antibiotics, physiotherapy, various applications and lotions, vitamins, corticosteroid ointments and even surgical removal of the affected areas can be prescribed (for example, with plasma cell cheilitis, when tumor-like plaques form on the tissues).