Two most common causes of mouth ulcers are mechanically injury to mouth lining and the other is aphthous ulcer (canker sore) when a person is feeling stressed or under the weather.
Injury to the mouth can be from accidental biting the inside of the mouth, minor burns from hot food or drinks, or braces rub against the gums. The sore eventually become the common ulcer which can take between 7 to 10 days to heal.
Other more serious ulcers are herpes infection, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, skin disorder which usually accompanied by other symptoms.
Sometimes a deficiency in iron, vitamin B12 and folate can cause recurrent of mouth ulcer too. Some medications such as anti-thyroid drugs and cytotoxic agents may also be responsible for mouth ulcers.
Of course all ulcers will cause discomfort and can be painful at times. Therefore the goal of treatment is to alleviate the pain.
There are basically 7 methods is treating mouth ulcers:
1. Apply topical gels, pastes or mouthwashes that contains anaesthetics, pain reliever, and anti-inflammatory substances. Many of this can be bought over the counter without prescription excluding those which contain a combination of control medicine.
2. Painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can help to relieve the pain.
3. Taking herbs such as Echinacea to build up your immune system.
4. Use diluted chlorhexidine or other mouth antiseptic wash once a day to reduce the duration of the ulcers.
5. Rinsing the mouth with iced water before a meal makes eating possible.
6. Drinking cooled camomile tea.
7. Gargling with warm salt water.
Most mouth ulcers heal on their own. But if they do last more than 3 week, please do consult your doctor or dentist.
If it comes with fever or other signs of illnesses, bigger than dime in diameter, or has uneven discoloration its better you consult a specialist.
You can prevent from having ulcers if you practice good dental hygiene. Regular visits to the dentist will certainly help. A healthy diet comprising vitamin C and B complex, iron and zinc will ensure a strong immune system to ward off infections.
If you are prone to recurrent ulcers, avoid using a hard tooth brush. A hard tooth brush may cause injury to your mouth and aggravate the pain. Use a soft tooth brush instead. You also want to avoid eating hard food or food with sharp edges.
