What is Mouth ulcers?

Mouth ulcers:

Mouth ulcers can be caused by traumatic injury to mouth such as by sharp tooth, Aspirin burn, certain infections, radiotherapy, blood disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, stress, allergy, drugs, skin diseases and sometimes without any obvious cause ( apthous ulcers). Any ulcer that does not has an obvious cause and shows no signs of healing beyond 2 weeks need further investigation to rule out oral cancer.

Signs & symptoms, prevention & treatment of mouth ulcers.

Signs & Symptoms

Soreness. Pain. Redness. Difficulty in eating.

Prevention

Adequate diet rich in vitamins B, C and Zinc. Avoid spicy food or any diet that irritates the ulcer. Avoid alcohol containing mouthwashes. Avoiding extremely hot foods as it can cause ulceration. Avoiding direct placement of Aspirin in mouth. Avoid stress. Aim at keeping optimum oral hygiene. Avoiding Aspirin and related drugs if you frequently develop mouth ulcers every 3-4 months.

Treatment

Remove the cause ( sharp tooth or sharp edge of filling cause injury, allergy causing drug or infections) Anaesthetic or analgesic gel. Chlorhexidine containing mouthwash but with no alcohol. Topical steroids. Drinking plenty of water and eating soft diet thereby allowing mouth ulcer to heal.

Complication of mouth ulcers:

If ulcers persist or the irritating source is not removed, the chances of developing oral cancer are raised due to constant irritation.