Question: I have soreness in my mouth that seems to come and go. The roof of my mouth and my upper gums become inflamed and painful. Do you have any idea what this could be?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
Assuming you have good dental hygiene, these symptoms are often seen as a side effect from medications, or in the presence of allergy response to food, supplements, additives, dyes or as part of a generalized allergic response to environmental allergens such as ragweed. Much of the time an elimination diet will answer these questions. In other words, you eliminate one suspected cause and wait to see if your symptoms change. If they don't, move on to the next suspect and eliminate it. But I would certainly suggest you seek professional guidance before self managing, because there are several common medical conditions that may present in this fashion. You deserve a physical evaluation as well as some basic labs such as a CBC, HIV, comprehensive chemistry, as well as an evaluation for vitamin deficiency, specifically vitamin C deficiency. Do you eat sufficient fruit? It is time to see your dentist and your medical doctor.