What Do HIV Mouth Sores Look Like? Here’s How to Tell

HIV mouth sores, appearing as ulcers or lesions, can be an early indication of the virus. By recognizing these oral symptoms, you can know when to seek medical care and get appropriate treatment.

Where Do HIV Mouth Sores Typically Appear?

HIV mouth sores can appear inside your mouth or on/near your lips, depending on the sore type.

Inside the mouth:

Oral candidiasis, or oral thrush, is the most common mouth lesion in those with HIV/AIDS. These lesions are white patches that develop on the mucous membranes, such as:

At the corners of the mouth:

Angular cheilitis can appear with or without oral candidiasis. It causes small white patches that appear as fissures, or linear ulcerations, at the corners of your mouth.

Outside the mouth:

Herpes simplex, also known as cold sores or fever blisters, appear as one or more small blisters or ulcers on your lips, the roof of your mouth, or gums.

When Do They First Appear?

The lesions, and ulcers that occur as HIV mouth sores can present among the first signs of an HIV infection though they can happen at any stage of HIV. HIV mouth sores can also be an indication of disease progression to AIDS.

Early HIV infection:

Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) is an irritation that usually occurs as painless, fuzzy, white patches on the sides of your tongue. It can be an early sign of HIV infection.

Late HIV infection/AIDS:

Kaposi sarcoma appears as dark purple or red spots on your gums, the back of your tongue, or the roof of your mouth. It can occur in the late stages of HIV infection and may be used to define the progression to AIDS.

What Do HIV Mouth Sores Look Like?

The appearance and shape of HIV mouth sores can vary based on their underlying cause. Sores can be red, white, or yellowish. They can be round or irregular like oral hairy leukoplakia or creamy and bumpy candidiasis patches that look like cottage cheese.

Oral warts from the human papillomavirus (HPV) are small, and white, gray, or pinkish bumps resembling cauliflower.

What Sensations Do They Cause?

Some HIV mouth sores and oral lesions are ulcerative and painful, which can cause a loss of taste and interfere with normal dental function. This can compromise the appearance of your mouth, alter your speech, and make chewing and swallowing difficult. The result can lead to malnutrition, emaciation, and increased stress on a weakened immune system.

Canker sores (aphthous ulcers): Canker sores are painful small, round sores. They typically have a gray center with a red edge on the hips or the roof of your mouth and/or gums.

Is It HIV Mouth Sores or Something Else?

While mouth sores are common in HIV, they can also occur as a result of other factors such as trauma, systemic diseases, and autoimmune disorders. The differential diagnosis for HIV mouth sores (conditions that have similar symptoms and must be ruled out to come to a diagnosis) include:

What Other Oral Symptoms Can HIV Cause?

In addition to mouth sores, some of the most common oral symptoms of HIV include: