Blood Blister in Mouth

An oral ulcer is the most common cause of a blood blister in mouth. Oral herpes, unknowingly biting the cheek, nutritional deficiency and food allergies too can bring about mouth blisters.

Tearing of the blood vessels that lie below the outermost layer of the skin results in formation of blood blisters. Blood blisters are very painful and can interfere with a person’s eating habits. People with blood blisters in mouth often find it difficult to chew food properly. Ingesting hot foodstuffs can also increase the pain considerably.

Blood blisters can occur anywhere inside the mouth and are not just restricted to cheeks. These blisters that look like pimples, can be seen on the tongue and teeth gums. When the gums are affected, it can cause immense pain while brushing teeth.

Causes

Oral Ulcers

An ulcer is an open wound that appears inside the mouth, due to invasion of microorganisms. This skin infection can also occur as a side effect of certain medications. There are generally 2 types of mouth ulcers: cold sores and canker sores. However, the one that causes mouth blisters are canker sores as they occur inside the mouth. A person affected with cankers shows small, oval shaped, white spots in the tissues of the mouth. These canker sores may contain pus, fluid or blood.

Angina Bullosa Haemorrhagica

Formation of blood-containing blisters in the oral cavity may indicate angina bullosa haemorrhagica (ABH) that usually occurs in the elderly. In most cases, an isolated medium-sized blood-filled blisters is visible on the inner cheek or underside of the tongue. In rare cases, a large blood blisters may develop inside the oral activity. Blood blisters associated with ABH, usually break open a few minutes after their formation, causing an open wound to develop in the affected area. The ulcer formed usually heals without any medical treatment. Some of the risk factors for ABH include trauma to the tissues of the mouth, chronic usage of inhaled steroids and diabetes.

Food Allergy

People who are allergic to certain foods may develop blood blisters somewhere in the oral activity after eating. Citrus foods are notorious for causing these mouth problems. In such cases, modification in diet is the only solution to overcome this problem.

Low Platelet Count

Platelets are tiny small cells circulating in our bloodstream that assist in blood clotting. However, when the platelets are significantly below the normal range (low platelet count), blood blisters may form inside the mouth. This condition is often referred to as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), in which platelet count plummets for unknown reasons.

Injury

Eating hard or piping hot food items such as toast can damage the inner cheeks and lead to blood blisters in the oral activity.

Nutritional Deficiency

A diet deficient in vitamins can also cause this mouth problem. Less intake of vitamin B12 and vitamin C can particularly trigger formation of blood blisters in mouth.

Prescription Drugs

Use of certain medications to treat a particular disease can cause an allergic reaction, which may manifest in the form of mouth blister.

Cheek Biting

The habit of hastily consuming the food during meals increases the risk of unknowingly biting the cheeks or the tongue. Chatting or watching television while having food is one of the main reasons behind increasing number of cheek biting cases.

Oral Herpes

Oral herpes caused by herpes simplex virus type 1, is characterized by formation of blood blisters in the gums, inner cheeks, tongue and even the roof of the mouth. After contracting the infection, initially the person experiences pain and burning sensation in the affected area and is then followed by formation of blisters. Apart from blisters, other symptoms of oral herpes include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Recurrent outbreak of oral herpes is a common phenomenon and the symptoms may aggravate and subside at regular intervals. However, in most cases, recurring symptoms are not severe as compared to initial outbreaks.

Alcohol Abuse

Too much consumption of alcohol is also responsible for ulceration, which may cause blood blisters to appear in mouth.

Treatment

In most cases, mouth blisters, do not need any specific medical treatment, as they go away on their own within a few days. Blood blisters that have formed due to burns and bites are usually not a cause for concern as these small eruptions go away within a week without any medical intervention. However, treatment to ease the painful, burning sensation associated blood blisters can be helpful. It is discussed below:

Painkillers

The pain associated with blood blisters can be sometimes unbearable and in such cases, taking pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin) may help to reduce the discomfort.

Cold Compress

Applying a cold compress can also help to minimize pain. The use of cold therapy that involves application of ice pack helps to numb the area and provide some quick relief from the pain and the swelling.

Avoid Salty Foods

Make sure that your diet is free from salty and spicy foods as they can aggravate pain and prolong the healing. Eating salted chips, crackers and even pickles irritate the blisters and cause substantial amount of discomfort. Citric fruits such as oranges, lemon, lime, grapefruit and vegetables like tomatoes, winter squash and lentils should also be avoided due to their high acidic content. Avoid eating raw vegetables, instead include soft, mashed foods in your diet, as they are easier to chew. Foods that are too hot can also cause a lot of discomfort. So, have foods only after they have reached room temperature.

Garlic

Garlic acts as a natural antiviral agent, hence one can always use it to treat oral herpes, that is caused by different strains of human papillomavirus. Moreover, garlic also destroys bacteria, fungi and other disease causing germs. A simply way to include this herb in your diet is to mix a generous amount of crushed garlic to your soup.

Healthy Diet

Following a healthy diet is one of the best ways to deal with this condition. Mouth blisters occurring due to vitamin deficiency may soon go away with good nutrition. Additionally, the doctor may also prescribe vitamin supplements to make up for nutritional deficiencies, if any.

No Squeezing

A popular belief is that blisters can be eliminated by squeezing them, something that is totally incorrect. This will actually trigger a secondary bacterial infection and prolong the healing time. Piercing or popping the blisters can bring an unbearable amount of pain and further aggravate the problem. Allow the blisters to heal naturally to get rid of them at the earliest.

Ginger

Ginger is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and hence its usage can certainly benefit to cure oral ulcers. Consuming a fresh slice of ginger everyday can help to resolve the issue. Drinking chamomile tea can also contribute to alleviate the pain and the inflammation.

Medications

Oral herpes infection that usually lasts for a 14 day period can also be treated with antivirals. These prescription medicines can certainly help to alleviate the symptoms and decrease the healing time. Taking these antivirals when the blisters have not yet appeared or have just started forming may substantially reduce the stay of the infection. As far as treating ITP is concerned, oral medicines like prednisone may be recommended to improve the platelet count. In order to reduce canker sore pain, one can directly apply topical medicines like Anbesol on the affected area.

Oral Hygiene

Using a toothbrush to clean your teeth doesn’t make any sense when blisters have formed in the mouth. Even a delicate touch of bristles on the affected area can trigger stabbing pain. So, in order to maintain oral hygiene, one can gently rub the fingers over the teeth and temporarily stop using the brush.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.