Mouth ulcers, also called canker sores are generally small, painful lesions that develop in your mouth or at the base of your gums. They can make eating, drinking, and talking extremely painful. Women, adolescents, and people with a family history of mouth ulcers are at increased risk for developing mouth ulcers.
Mouth ulcers are not contagious and usually go away without any treatment within one to two weeks. However, if you get a mouth ulcer that is large or extremely painful, or if it lasts for a long time without healing, you should consult your doctor.
What triggers mouth ulcers?
There is no definite reason behind development of mouth ulcers. However, certain factors and triggers that lead to mouth ulcers include-
• Minor oral injury from dental work, brushing harshly , sports injury, or accidental bite
• Toothpastes and mouth rinses containing sodium lauryl sulfate
• Sensitivity to acidic foods like strawberries, citrus, and pineapples, and other foods like chocolate and coffee
• Deficiency of b-12, zinc, folate, and iron
• Allergic reaction to mouth bacteria
• Dental braces
• Hormonal changes during menstruation
• Emotional stress
• Lack of sleep
• Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections
Mouth ulcers also can also signal a more serious condition, such as:
• Celiac disease (a condition in which the body is not able to tolerate gluten)
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Behcet’s disease (a condition that produces inflammation throughout the body)
• A faulty immune system that causes your body to attack the healthy mouth cells instead of viruses and bacteria
• AIDS
What are different kinds of mouth ulcers?
There are three types of mouth ulcers: minor, major, and herpetiform.
Minor
Minor canker sores are small, oval or round ulcers and they heal within one to two weeks with no scarring.
Major
Major mouth ulcers are larger and deeper than minor ones. They have irregular edges and may require up to six weeks to heal. Major mouth ulcers can produce long-term scarring.
Herpetiform
Herpetiform are pinpoint size mouth ulcers, which occur in clusters of 10 to 100, and often affect adults. They have irregular edges and will often heal without scarring within one to two weeks.
Consult your doctor if you have-
• abnormally large mouth ulcers
• new mouth ulcers before the old ones settle
• ulcers that lasts more than three weeks
• ulcers that are painless
• mouth ulcers that spread to the lips
• pain that cannot be managed with over-the-counter medication
• severe trouble eating and drinking
• high fever or diarrhea
How are mouth ulcers diagnosed?
Mouth ulcers are diagnosed by a visual examination. If you are having recurrent, severe mouth ulcers, you might be tested for other medical conditions.
What are some ways to treat mouth ulcers?
Most mouth ulcers do not require treatment. If you have extremely painful canker sores, a number of treatments can decrease pain and healing time. These include:
• Rinsing with saltwater and baking soda
• placing milk of magnesia on the canker sore
• applying baking soda paste on ulcers
• Using over-the-counter medicines such as benzocaine (topical anesthetic)
• Application of ice to canker sores
• Keeping moist tea bags on your mouth ulcer
• Use of nutritional supplements like folic acid, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and zinc
Tips to prevent mouth ulcers
You can also prevent mouth ulcers. Avoid foods that irritate your mouth that specially include acidic fruits like pineapple, grapefruit, oranges, or lemon, as well as nuts, chips, or anything spicy.
Instead, consume whole grains and alkaline (nonacidic) fruits and vegetables. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and take a daily multivitamin if required.
Try to avoid talking while you are chewing your food to decrease accidental bites. Reduce stress by practicing relaxation techniques. Get adequate sleep and rest.
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