Viral warts (papillomas) of the oral mucosa

A wart in the mouth is a specific growth that appears in the oral cavity due to the chronic presence of HPV in the human body. Warts form only on the skin. On the mucous membranes, the human papillomavirus causes the growth of condylomas. A benign formation with constant trauma can degenerate into a malignant one.

Causes of warts on the oral mucosa

Warts usually appear on the skin of the hands and feet. The appearance of such formations in the mouth is quite rare. Warts can be located on the lips, tongue and gums. How can this happen?

Self-infection can occur if there are warts on the fingers and the person has a habit of biting his nails. Infection occurs during a kiss, oral sex, or through everyday contact (using shared household items). The baby can get the virus during birth if the mother is a carrier of the virus. The cause of warts in the mouth can be uncomfortable dentures, disruptions in the endocrine system, infectious diseases, and decreased immunity.

The body fights the papilloma virus on its own, and warts may disappear after some time without any treatment. But it should be remembered that the virus does not leave the body, but remains dormant. If the body's protective functions decrease, warts will appear again.

Signs of warts

The main symptom of HPV is the appearance of a growth. A leaf-shaped wart forms on the back of the tongue, rough and no more than 2 cm in size.

On the hard palate, cheeks, and gums, neoplasms are characterized by a fine-grained flat structure.

Typically, HPV occurs in women over 55-60 years of age due to regular friction that occurs when wearing dentures.

Warts on the lip, how to get rid of them

Treatment is complicated by the fact that the lips are very sensitive to any influences. Therapy is aimed mainly at strengthening the immune system. The patient is prescribed vitamin complexes and restoratives. It is not recommended to use cauterizing medications; they can only cause harm. These products cause a chemical burn, after which the wart can grow even larger.

What does a wart on the lip look like, photo

In this case, the following treatment methods are recommended:

1. Destruction of the growth using liquid nitrogen - cryodestruction.
2. Using high frequency current for burning – electrocoagulation.
3. Removing warts using laser.
4. The traditional way to remove warts is surgical excision using a scalpel.

Removal methods

Removal of condylomas is a necessity in the process of treating viral tumors. Since the bulk of infection cells are located in the growths, without eliminating them, therapy becomes meaningless.

There are several ways to get rid of condylomas:

1. Laser excision. Warts are burned off layer by layer with a special laser beam. The procedure reduces the likelihood of relapse and does not allow for histological examination.
2. Cryodestruction or freezing with liquid nitrogen. Under short-term exposure to the low temperature of the substance used, the tissue of condylomas is destroyed. As a result, the growths gradually die off. A few weeks after the session, not a trace remains of them.
3. Electrocoagulation allows you to remove tumors using a device that generates high-frequency electric current. Energy accumulates in the tip of the device, which literally evaporates papillomas cells. The device cauterizes small blood vessels, making the procedure completely bloodless.
4. Radio wave method. Removal occurs through exposure to converted high frequency waves. The advantage of the method is the absence of direct contact between tissues, complete control of the strength and amplitude of the impact, as well as the bloodlessness of the procedure.
5. The surgical method is used in rare cases, only for serious lesions. Due to the need for general anesthesia and lengthy preparation for surgery, this method of removal is not suitable for all patients (during pregnancy).

Previously, chemical compounds were used to excise tumors of this type. Modern medicine has abandoned this method because of its aggressive effects, which do more harm than good. Some people prefer to remove warts using traditional methods. This treatment is not approved by specialists.

If a wart is on the lip, how to get rid of it using folk remedies

An effective remedy for growths on the lip is celandine or dandelion juice. It is necessary to lubricate the wart with fresh plant juice several times a day until it disappears.

The acid contained in vinegar is another folk remedy that can be used to remove a wart on the lip. The growth must be lubricated three times a day until it disappears completely.

Using garlic or garlic juice also helps, lubricating the wart several times a day.

Traditional methods

To get rid of warts, you can also use folk recipes. However, you should be careful, because... The oral mucosa is delicate and therefore it is important not to burn. Garlic, which has strong antiseptic and bactericidal properties, is an effective remedy. Apply garlic oil up to 5 times a day. Propolis can be used similarly. Do not take tinctures made from alcohol under any circumstances.

To strengthen the immune system, you can drink decoctions and teas from echinacea and rose hips.

The appearance of a wart on the gum, treatment

What should be done immediately after such a formation is discovered on the gum? Full oral treatment is required. It includes the removal of plaque, tartar deposits and treatment of caries lesions. This will help reduce the occurrence of new warts. After this, vitamin therapy is carried out and antiviral drugs are prescribed. If medical treatment is not sufficient, removal will be required.

Warts on the gums are removed using a laser. Removal of small growths is possible using a radio wave cutter - a special tool that affects tissue using radio waves. Liquid nitrogen is contraindicated for the removal of warts and papillomas in the mouth. A chemical reaction with the fluid of the oral mucosa is possible, as a result of which the neoplasm transforms into a malignant tumor.

To avoid relapse after treatment you must:

1. Maintain oral hygiene, brush not only your teeth, but also your gums and tongue.
2. Use rinse aids.
3. Use dental floss.
4. Do not use other people's hygiene products.
5. Strengthen the immune system.

You should take growths that appear on your gums seriously. Without proper treatment, new warts may appear on the tongue and lips.

Types of papillomas

Depending on the location, the following types of external manifestations of HPV are distinguished:

• Vulgar (simple) warts
  , which account for up to 70% of all skin warts and are more common in school-age children. They are elevations above the surface of the skin with an uneven, keratinized surface. They most often appear on the hands, but can be on the edges of the lips, on the face and, extremely rarely, on the oral mucosa.
• Flat (juvenile) warts
  are less common (4%). They are found in children and young people on the back of the hands and feet, face, and oral mucosa. These are warts of different shapes; they have a smooth surface and slightly rise above the skin level.
• Palmoplantar warts
  are very common (34% of cutaneous warts). They are dense formations with horny layers.
• Filiform warts
  are soft, flesh-colored to dark brown papillomas, often pedunculated. They are located on the neck, skin of the eyelids, armpits, groin, under the mammary glands.
• Genital condylomas
  are multiple, less often single, soft papillomas located on the mucous membranes of the genital organs, around and inside the rectum, sometimes in the urethra. They have the appearance of simple (pyramid, ball) or complex (cauliflower) growths with a keratinizing surface on the stalk.

Treatment of warts and papillomas with medications

Traditionally, ointments, drops, tablets and lapis pencil are used to treat warts. If warts appear in the oral cavity, treatment is aimed at restoring the immune system.

1.​ Vitamin therapy

Particular attention is paid to vitamins A, E, C. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant, increases the body's resistance to various diseases, and improves skin condition. Taking vitamin capsules orally and applying retinol topically to treat the surface of warts.

Vitamin E also improves the condition of the skin and activates the immune system. It is taken orally and locally. Lotions are applied to warts using an oil solution of vitamin E.

Vitamin C actively fights HPV (human papillomavirus), reducing the activity of the virus. The vitamin is taken orally in tablet form. Liquid vitamin C is also used to treat the surface of warts.

2. Antiviral drugs

There are currently quite a few drugs available for the treatment of papillomas and warts. For the treatment of such formations in the mouth, the list is greatly reduced due to the specific manifestations of the disease. In this case, suitable treatment occurs mainly from the inside.

Interferon preparations, recombinant preparations:

• Viferon,
• ofenror,
• altevir,
• intron.

3. Immunostimulants

Another category, immunotropic drugs:

• Gepon,
• isoprinosine.

It must be remembered that only a doctor can prescribe medications!

Why does a tumor appear?

The main cause of warts on the gums is infection with the human papillomavirus. The most common way of spreading it between people in this case is oral sexual intercourse. At this time, HPV can enter the body along with secretions from the penis and sperm.

There is a high probability of infection and warts on the gums after frequent kissing with an HPV carrier. The risk of this is greater if both have open wounds on the mucous membrane. The greatest danger is posed by partners with such growths in the oral cavity, in which the virus content is quite high.

Less common, but also possible, is HPV infection during an examination by a dentist or ENT specialist, since they come into direct contact with the oral mucosa. The threat of becoming a carrier of the virus is high if doctors use poorly sterilized instruments.

Infection can also occur at an appointment with a proctologist, gastroenterologist, or cosmetologist. This often happens during salon procedures, when performing a manicure, or in the case of a tattoo.

You can become a carrier of HPV while swimming in a public pool or visiting a sauna. This is due, as we said earlier, to the high resistance of the pathogen to wet conditions. The situation becomes especially dangerous in those rooms where proper sanitization is not carried out.

Among other ways of spreading HPV and, as a consequence, factors in the development of warts on the gums, it is worth noting household ones, when healthy people use things that are carriers of it. This is widespread in households that share bath amenities due to the virus's high resistance to humidity.

Infection with the papilloma virus is not yet the basis for the appearance of a wart on the gum. To do this, it must be very active, and the pathogen does not become so immediately; the incubation period can average from 3 to 12 months.

The appearance of a wart on the gum is facilitated by a decrease in the level of immunity, and the weaker it is, the higher the likelihood of this. A certain influence here is exerted by hormonal imbalance, which is typical for women over 45 years old, teenagers and pregnant women.

Chronic stress caused by constant nervous tension and emotional exhaustion is also harmful.

Living in environmentally unfavorable conditions can also lead to the appearance of warts on the gums. These include polluted air, soil, and water.

The risk of HPV activation is significantly increased by various diseases, primarily gastroenterological and otolaryngological. Problems may arise in people with chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, gastritis, colitis and other similar pathologies.

Long-term, uncontrolled use of antibacterial drugs, which suppress the activity of beneficial microorganisms and prevent them from resisting the papilloma virus in full force, can also lead to the appearance of warts on the gums.

One of the key factors in the development of warts on the gums is poor nutrition. It is associated with consuming insufficient amounts of meat and dairy products, eggs, and fish. A lack of vegetables, fruits, berries, and greens in the diet is also dangerous.

• See also the causes of warts in the mouth

Warts in the mouth, how to treat them using traditional methods

There are many different folk methods for treating warts and papillomas in the oral cavity. At the same time, traditional therapy is aimed, just like traditional treatment, at maintaining and strengthening the immune system and localizing the external manifestations of the disease.

Traditional methods of treating warts for external use:

1. In the initial stage of the disease, it is recommended to lubricate neoplasms in the oral cavity with chicken protein; this must be done several times.
2. Apply lotions with castor oil to warts several times a day.
3. Rub the warts with a piece of garlic or lubricate them with garlic juice.
4. Alcohol tincture on green walnut peel or leaves. Apply the tincture to warts in the mouth twice a day.
5. A decoction or aqueous solution of celandine for rinsing the mouth.
6. Lavender oil for viral warts. Make applications with oil and lubricate warts several times a day.

For internal use, infusions, decoctions

A decoction of celandine is taken orally to strengthen the immune system. Brew 5 grams of celandine in a glass of boiling water in a water bath for 15 minutes. Take 30 grams of decoction daily for a week.

The following decoctions and infusions have antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects:

1. A decoction of St. John's wort is prepared at the rate of 10 grams of raw material per glass of water. Take half a glass a day before meals 30 minutes
2. Infusion of calendula officinalis, 1 tablespoon of flowers per glass of boiling water. One tablespoon 3 times a day.
3. Decoction or infusion of burdock root, 1 teaspoon of root per 0.5 liter of boiling water. Take 0.5 cups 4 times a day.
4. Infusion of plantain leaves, 10 grams of leaf per glass of water. Take one tablespoon 4 times a day.
5. Milk thistle infusion is taken to stop the proliferation of warts. Pour 3 teaspoons into a glass of hot water, leave, strain. Drink the infusion in equal parts throughout the day. Take the infusion until the warts disappear.
6. Bee products are powerful immunostimulants. Regular consumption of honey and pollen (breadbread) will strengthen the body’s resistant functions.

Treatment of warts and papillomas can be carried out not only with medications, but also in combination with treatment with folk remedies. However, you should first consult your doctor.

Causes

Bad habits can activate the papilloma virus, resulting in warts

The oral cavity can be attacked by entire colonies of papillomas. People find them in their mouths in different places. A competent specialist can quickly identify this tumor in a person. And he himself may suspect the development of papilloma by comparing its appearance with a wart in a photo in a medical reference book.

A huge percentage of the population is infected with HPV. Therefore, many people may experience the formation of warts in their mouth. Their growth is caused by activation of the papillomavirus. The following factors contribute to this:

• decreased immunity;
• hormonal disorders;
• negative habits;
• frequent consumption of too hot food, which injures the oral mucosa;
• long-term use of hormonal and antibacterial drugs;
• neglect of oral care rules;
• practice of unprotected oral sex;
• emotional experiences and stress.

In the initial stages of development, a wart in the oral cavity is benign. But over time, under certain conditions, it can degenerate into a cancerous tumor.