Mouth Ulcer: Causes, Treatment & Home Remedies

Symptoms of Mouth Ulcers

Everyone will experience a mouth ulcer at some point, if not several times in their life. Mouth ulcers usually make themselves known when chewing food, speaking or while brushing the teeth. The most common areas are at the soft mouth lining, such as inside the cheeks, lips, on the side of the tongue & some times in the palate areas. Mouth ulcers tend to be elliptical or circular. They are white, yellow, grey or red in colour & inflamed around the edges. They are not contagious & should not be confusing with cold sores, which appear on the mouth & often begin with a tingling or burning sensation.

Mouth ulcer symptoms usually include:

• Pain or tenderness.
• One or more painful sores.
• Irritation by sour, salty or spicy food.
• Swollen skin around the sores.
• Problems with chewing or tooth brushing.

Diagnosis: When to see a doctor about Mouth Ulcers

A visit to a doctor or dentist should be scheduled if you get mouth ulcers frequently & they are interfering with your quality of life. Likewise, if mouth ulcers become more red & painful, or if they do not clear up after 14 days & last longer than three weeks you should consult a dentist or doctor. (This is especially important if you use tobacco products & drink alcohol regularly). A doctor or dentist may prescribe a stronger medication to treat severe, recurrent or infected mouth ulcers. In some cases, they may take blood tests to detect an underlying deficiency or an inflammatory condition. If the ulcer didn’t respond to the prescribed medications & mouth remedies for more than 2 weeks, then a biopsy of ulcer & the surrounding tissue may be required for examination & diagnosis.

Persistent mouth ulcers could signify:

• An infection
• Oral cancer
• Underlying gastrointestinal illness such as coeliac or Crohn's disease
• Autoimmune diseases
• Vitamin or iron deficiency

Cause of Mouth Ulcers

All of us will suffer from at least one at some point, & seemingly out of nowhere. But what causes mouth ulcers? They can come along at any time &, although mostly small, they often cause significant irritation & considerable discomfort despite their size. That said, the mouth is a busy place, so an ulcer can prove troublesome & painful every time we eat, drink or speak. Mouth ulcers can be triggered by a wound in the mouth that is slow to heal, hot food, irritants in the mouth, smoking & more. Single mouth ulcers are often caused by actions or habits that we can usually prevent through some simple changes. These can include taking a little more care in our oral hygiene routine, being more patient when chewing food, avoiding a certain brand of mouthwash, or simply staying clear of sharp snacks, such as crisps.

Causes of mouth ulcer can include:

• Biting the tongue or cheek, usually while eating.
• Ill-fitting braces or dentures.
• A fractured tooth or rough fillings.
• Irritation from toothpaste or mouthwash.
• Cuts or burns from hot beverages.
• Food intolerance or allergies that include medication.
• Stress, anxiety or tiredness.
• Poor oral hygiene.
• Nutritional deficiencies, including iron or vitamin B12.
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy.
• Family genetics.
• Skin rashes such as Lichen Planus.
• Longer-term conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, Behçet's disease or coeliac disease.