Professional Dental Care

                                 for the Whole Family

A lifelong Fort Worth resident, Dr. Gary C. Morton has practiced general dentistry in Fort Worth since 1974.

Dr. Gary C. Morton is an

Active Member of the

American Dental Association

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Dental Hygiene Tips

Canker Sores

Students have a high prevalence of canker sores or cold sores yet the sores seem to appear less frequently after graduation when stress levels are lower.

Canker sores generally occur inside the mouth, are bacterial in nature, and are not contagious. Canker sores can be triggered by stress, genetics, trauma, medications, hormones, food allergies, or an unrelated medical problem.

Canker sore treatment includes over-the-counter oral anesthetics. Dr. Morton can develop a treatment plan to deal with more serious outbreaks.

Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are most often found around the mouth but sometimes occur on the gums or roof of the mouth, are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) and are highly contagious.

A cold sore progresses through different stages and the infected individual is contagious through the entire process. If cold sores are caught during the tingling stage, a topical medication can be applied, which will prevent the sore from erupting the majority of the time. Talk to Dr. Morton about this medication.

An anti-viral medication can be prescribed in serious cases. Ice cubes can be applied directly to the sores to help relieve pain.

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Can't find a topic or answer for your question? Call Dr. Morton's office at 817.731.6496 and his staff will help you get the answers.