What is Blood Blister in Mouth: Causes and Treatment

When the upper layer of skin is wounded, a blister forms, which is a fluid-filled sac. The fluid comes from the wounded tissue and is usually clear.

A blood blister in the mouth forms when the fluid pools and acts as a barrier, shielding the wounded skin from further harm. Blood veins beneath the wounded skin may rupture, allowing blood to fill the blister’s “bubble,” resulting in a blood blister in mouth. Most blood blisters occur where there is friction, just as clear blisters.

If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of biting your cheek while chewing food, you may recall a sore developing in the area. While mouth sores from cheek biting are normally not a cause for concern, what if you find a bloody sore in your mouth?

Finding many blood blisters in the mouth can be alarming, although most blood blisters or blood bubbles in the mouth are usually harmless and will heal on their own.

Angina Bullosa Hemorrhagica/ Oral Blood Blister In Mouth

Blood blisters in the oral cavity/mouth are linked to a medical disease called Angina bullosa hemorrhagic ¹(ABH). These dark red or purplish blisters emerge in the mouth without warning and might linger for many days before bursting.

Blood Blisters can rupture on their own or when the person is eating.

Blood blisters can occur anywhere in the mouth, although the soft palate is the most common location.

What Are The Symptoms And Indicators Of ABH?

The first sign is a stinging pain or burning sensation just before a blood blister in mouth appears. The blisters last only a few minutes before spontaneously rupturing (bursting), leaving a shallow ulcer that heals without scarring, discomfort, or pain. They can grow to be one to three centimeters in diameter.

The Soft Palate² (the back of the mouth) is the area of the mouth that is most affected. In some people, blood blisters on the roof of the mouth, on the inner lip, or inside the cheeks are also observed.

When you find a dark red bump inside the cheek or a red spot inside the cheek, that is nothing but the popped blood vessel in the mouth.

Blood blisters or mouth blisters can appear in the buccal mucosa (cheek) and tongue on rare occasions. About one-third of individuals experience oral blood blisters in multiple locations. Even in some people blood blister on gums has also been observed.

What Are The Factors That Contribute To ABH?

Minor trauma induced by hot foods, restorative dentistry³ (fillings, crowns, etc.), or periodontal therapy (treatment of gum disease) accounts for more than half of all instances. ABH can also be caused by anaesthetic dental injections and steroid inhalers. In half of the instances, no reason can be found.

ABH is a condition of having a blood-filled blister in the mouth. It also causes swollen veins in the mouth and cheek. In some cases, a black blister in the mouth is also observed. This could be a sign of oral cancer.

Causes Of Blood Blister In Mouth

While the exact cause of many oral blood blisters or blood clots in the mouth is unknown, a review in the World Journal of Stomatology suggests that they may be produced by mouth trauma.

The following factors may have a role in the development of oral blood blister in mouth:

• Eating meals that are hard, spicy, or crunchy
• Getting a dental treatment done, such as taking impressions or placing a crown
• Getting a local anesthetic shot
• Inhaling narcotics⁴, such as steroids
• Oral herpes
• Having a condition that affects the entire body, such as diabetes

Other Causes Of Blood Blister In Mouth

• Trauma

The majority of oral blood blisters form as a result of oral trauma⁵, such as biting your cheek, burning your mouth with hot food, or puncturing soft tissue with a sharp object, such as a chip. In the case of trauma, a blood blister in the mouth usually appears shortly after the injury.

• Allergies

Certain foods and medicines might irritate the lining of your mouth, causing blood blisters to form. In some people, a blood blister on the lower lip has also been observed.

Allergies to the following substances may increase your risk of developing blood blister in the mouth:

1. Astringents⁶, such as those used in mouthwash and toothpaste
2. Acidic foods, such as citrus fruits
3. Cinnamon flavor

• Thrombocytopenia

Platelets are blood vessels that aid in the clotting process. Low platelet counts can occur for a variety of reasons, during pregnancy or while taking certain drugs like antibiotics and anticonvulsants. It can also happen when platelets are destroyed by the immune system.

Blood blisters in the mouth are a symptom of thrombocytopenia. Every year, around 30,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States, with women accounting for 70% of the cases.

Other Mouth Sores VS Blood Blisters In Mouth

Other Blood blisters are canker sores. However, there are some distinctions. Canker sores start out as reddish ulcers rather than the dark red to purple coloration of a blood blister in the mouth. A whitish or yellowish film covers canker sores.

Read more about 7 Amazing Essential Oils For Canker Sores

Treatment For Blood Blister In Mouth

The majority of lip blood blisters are transient and do not require medical attention. Here are some suggestions for dealing with them and healing blood blisters:

• Over-the-counter pain medications and cold packs applied to the wounded area can help ease the pain.
• Foods that irritate the blood blister in the mouth, such as hot, salty, or spicy foods, should be avoided.
• Attempting to pop the blister is not a good idea. This raises your risk of infection and slows your recovery. The blood blister in the mouth will pop on its own over time.

Warning Signs

Consult your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms for blood blister:

• The blister is so huge that it is obstructing swallowing and breathing.
• It takes more than a week or two for the wound to heal completely.
• It’s so excruciatingly uncomfortable that it’s interfering with your daily activities. Your doctor may recommend a calming mouthwash to help speed up the healing process.
• You might need medical treatment for recurrent blood blisters that appear on a regular basis.

Final Note

If a blood blister in the mouth is especially painful, your dentist can help you manage the discomfort and provide you with medical treatment. According to the World Journal of Stomatology review, they will examine the blood blister in the mouth and may recommend an antibiotic mouthwash or anti-inflammatory medication to relieve any discomfort and speed up the healing process.

To avoid aggravating the area anymore, your dentist may advise you to take a soft diet.

Blood blister inside the leg is also found in some people so never think it only occurs in the mouth.

Blood Blisters in the mouth can be caused by a variety of factors. They’re mostly harmless and most blister heals by themselves. The majority of blood blisters are caused by trauma and heal without medical intervention. It’s possible to keep them at bay by being attentive to how and what you eat.

1. Grinspan, David, Jorge Abulafia, and Héctor Lanfranchi. “Angina bullosa hemorrhagica.” International journal of dermatology 38.7 (1999): 525-528. ↩︎
2. Jones, Frederic Wood. “The nature of the soft palate.” Journal of Anatomy 74.Pt 2 (1940): 147. ↩︎
3. Walmsley, A. Damien, et al. Restorative dentistry. elsevier health sciences, 2007. ↩︎
4. Cornell, Svante E. “The interaction of narcotics and conflict.” Journal of Peace Research 42.6 (2005): 751-760. ↩︎
5. Meadow, David, G. Lindner, and Howard Needleman. “Oral trauma in children.” Pediatr dent 6.4 (1984): 248-51. ↩︎
6. Gupta, Gaurav, et al. “Astringents in dentistry: a review.” Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and health sciences 2.3 (2012). ↩︎

Last Updated on March 23, 2024 by ayeshayusuf