Have you ever developed a white painful sore with inflamed, red borders inside your mouth? These are called mouth ulcers and they often appear on the inside of the cheeks, on the lips, under the tongue, on the floor of the mouth or gums.
Mouth ulcers, also called aphthous stomatitis, herpes simplex, canker sores, or cold sores, are open sores that can give rise to a great deal of pain and discomfort in your oral cavity.
The causes of developing these lesions are somewhat of a mystery but usually the cause could be related to stress, a slight injury to the soft tissues in the mouth, dentures that don’t fit properly as well as eating highly acidic foods.
Canker Sores Vs. Cold Sores
The canker sore is usually not contagious and its painful areas are tender to touch. Common canker sores need to run a course of healing that may take a week or two.
On the other hand, if a person develops a cluster of small blisters that turn into a larger sore in the lip area, this may be a cold sore caused by the Herpes simplex virus. Since this type of mouth ulcer is caused by a virus, it is highly contagious. A cold sore may require a prescription of antiviral medication from a physician.
Causes of Mouth Ulcers
The reason for developing mouth ulcers is not clear but it may be related to numerous causes:
- Inadequate oral hygiene
- Elevated levels of stress and anxiety
- Oral thrush infection
- Excessive exposure to the sun
- Using toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulphate
- Using strong antiseptics such as a mouthwash or toothpaste
- Frequently rinsing the mouth with hydrogen peroxide
- An allergic reaction to some toothpaste ingredients
- Genetic predisposition since around 40% of people who suffer from mouth ulcers say their family also develop them too
- Quitting smoking as ulcers can appear in the mouth when you first stop smoking
- Eating certain foods such as:
– spicy and acidic foods (berries, sodas, sugar)
– hot foods or beverages (coffee, tea, chocolate)
– hard, rough, or crunchy foods (pizza, chips, peanuts)
- Minor injury to the mouth caused by:
– crooked or sharp tooth
– poorly fitting dentures
– accidentally biting your cheek, tongue, or lip
– braces
– chewing tobacco
– rigorous brushing or accidental scraping
- Certain medications such as:
– Beta-blockers, certain painkillers, aspirin, chemotherapy medicines, penicillamine, sulfa drugs, and phenytoin
– Inhalers that contain steroids such as those for asthma or COPD
– Diuretic and psychiatric medications which reduce saliva production causing anticholinergic effects like oral dryness
- Certain underlying conditions such as:
– Iron or Vitamin B12 deficiency
– Viral infections such as herpes simplex virus
– Gastrointestinal ailments such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis
– Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause
– Blood disorders such as anemia
– Autoimmune disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus
– Skin conditions such as lichen planus, which causes mouth rashes
– Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia
– Herpangina condition, which is a viral condition with a sudden onset
– Cancer of the mouth
– Infections such as hand-foot-mouth disease
– Weakened immune system, for example, if you have AIDS or are taking medicine after an organ transplant
Treating Mouth Ulcers Using Stuff Available At Your Home
Mouth ulcers can be very painful and uncomfortable. It often go away in 10 to 14 days even if you do not do anything. They sometimes last up to 6 weeks.
These are some of the best ways to ease the pain using stuff lying around your house or your bathroom.
- Rinse your mouth with:
– Saltwater solution to reduce the bacteria present in the mouth. Mix 2 teaspoons of salt to 1 glass of warm water
– Baking soda solution by mixing one teaspoon with a little bit of water to make a paste and then dab on the ulcer throughout the day
– Saline solution which can help sanitize your mouth without the stinging sensation at the affected site.
- Apply ice to help relieve cold sores or fever blisters.
- Eat fruit-flavored ice pops which is helpful for mouth burn.
- Take pain relievers like acetaminophen.
- Dab your ulcer with honey to retain moisture and accelerate the healing process.
- Chew on a stick of celery because it has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Chew on a few basil leaves then sip some water afterwards because of its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties.
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth.
- Use a toothpaste that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
- Avoid eating hard, spicy, salty, acidic or hot food and drink until the ulcer heals.
- Avoid chewing gum until your ulcer heals.
- Use a straw to drink cool drinks.
- Avoid things that may trigger mouth ulcers as aforementioned.
You can buy several types of mouth ulcer treatment from a pharmacy. Speak to your pharmacist about the best treatment for you. Options include the following:
- Antimicrobial mouthwash may speed up healing and prevent infection of the ulcer. Children under two shouldn’t use this treatment. It also contains chlorexidine gluconate which may stain teeth – but this may fade once treatment is finished.
- Painkillers are available as a mouthwash, lozenge, gel or spray. They can sting on first use and your mouth may feel numb but this is temporary. Mouthwash can be diluted with water if stinging continues. Children under 12 shouldn’t use mouthwash or gel. Mouthwash shouldn’t be used for more than seven days in a row.
- Corticosteroid lozenges may reduce pain and speed up healing. These are best used as soon as the ulcer appears, but shouldn’t be used by children under 12.
- Other over-the-counter medications such as Orabase Gel used for numbing a certain mouth surface, Blistex or Campho-Phenique and Acyclovir Cream 5% which can be used to help reduce the duration of the cold sore.
- For more severe cases, treatments include fluocinonide gel (Lidex) and anti-inflammatory amlexanox paste (Aphthasol).
Mouth Ulcers Prevention
It may be impossible to prevent mouth ulcers because they’re often caused by things you can’t control such as family history or an existing medical condition. However, the following may help reduce your risk of developing it:
- Keeping the mouth clean with daily brushing and flossing
- Avoiding all triggers known to cause outbreaks in the past
- Eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet that provides the body with healing vitamins and minerals. There may be a link between canker sores and a low intake of iron and several of the B vitamins, such as B-12. Make sure your diet contains lots of fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and whole grains to obtain these nutrients.
- Making a ritual of eating yogurt. Probiotics are helpful in keeping the digestive system healthy and also help preventing canker sores.
- Avoiding foods that can either trigger or worsen symptoms such as chocolate, spicy foods, coffee, peanuts, almonds, strawberries, cheese, tomatoes and wheat flour, if they cause you to have an ulcer
- Avoid chewing a gum.
- Brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled brush, which may reduce irritation in your mouth
- Using toothpaste that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate
- Reducing stress and anxiety which may be a trigger for some people.
- Do not smoke or use tobacco and limit alcohol to 2 drinks per day.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat to shade your lips. Wear a lip balm with SPF 15 at all times.
- Making sure that underlying medical conditions are well-controlled.
- Talking to a doctor about changing medications that are known to cause ulcers
What Is Mouth Cancer?
In a few cases, a long-lasting mouth ulcer can be a sign of mouth cancer. It is distinguished by ulcers which usually appear on or under the tongue, although you can get them in other areas of the mouth too. Risk factors may include:
- smoking or using products that contain tobacco
- drinking alcohol – smokers who are also heavy drinkers have a much higher risk compared to the population at large
- infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV) – the virus that causes genital warts
It’s important to detect mouth cancer as early as possible as the chances of a complete recovery are good. Regular dental check-ups are the best way to detect the early signs.
When To Seek Immediate Medical Attention?
Mouth ulcers can be painful, which can make it uncomfortable to eat, drink or brush your teeth. It’s usually safe to treat mouth ulcers at home but you need to consult your doctor or your dentist if:
- your mouth ulcer has lasted three weeks or longer
- you have a mouth ulcer that keeps returning
- your mouth ulcer becomes more painful or red which could be a sign of a bacterial infection, which may need treatment with antibiotics
- you have large white patches on the roof of your mouth or your tongue (this may be thrush or another type of infection)
- your sore begins soon after you start a new medicine
- you have a weakened immune system (for example, from HIV or cancer)
- you have other symptoms like fever, skin rash, drooling, or difficulty swallowing.
Note:
• Most mouth ulcers are recurring nuisances that are benign.
• Quitting smoking and acidic foods can aggravate mouth ulcers.
• It is important to note that a doctor or dentist should examine any new ulcer and any ulcer lasting longer than 3 weeks.
• For most people, mouth ulcers will clear up within 2 weeks.
• Consider buying a toothpaste free from sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). While not toxic to humans in low enough amounts, SLS is widely considered one of the ingredients of different hygiene products that people should probably avoid. After all, SLS can lead to everything from itchy, irritated skin, to damaged hair, to persistent canker sores.
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