Why mouth ulcers appear and what to do with them
Miscellaneous / / August 14, 2021
In some cases, you will have to see a doctor.
UlcersCanker sore / Mayo Clinic - These are wounds of a round or oval shape with a white or yellow center and a red border. In the mouth, they can be found on the tongue, gums, soft palate, or cheeks. The wounds are not contagious.
What are the ulcers
Doctors distinguish several typesCanker sore / Mayo Clinic. The most common ones are small, oval with a red edge. They heal in 1–2 weeks and do not leave scars.
Large ulcers sometimes appear. Deeper, round, with clear boundaries. These wounds are very painful, disappear within six weeks. After that, scars may remain.
Herpetiform ulcers are very rare in old age. They form small clusters of many identical small wounds, the size of a pinhead. These ulcers can merge with each other. Nevertheless, in 1-2 weeks they heal without a trace.
Why do mouth ulcers appear
The exact reasons are unknown. But doctors believe that various factors, including diseases, provoke ulcers. Here are the most likely triggersCanker sore / Mayo Clinic:
- Mucosal injury. For example, when brushing your teeth, dental procedures, playing sports, or while eating.
- Toothpastes or mouth rinses that contain sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Certain food items. Chocolate, coffee, strawberries, eggs, nuts, sour and spicy foods can irritate the oral mucosa.
- Deficiency of vitamin B12, folate, or iron.
- An allergic reaction to certain bacteria in the mouth.
- Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which causes chronic inflammation and ulcer.
- Hormonal changes in women during the menstrual cycle.
- Emotional stress.
- Bowel pathology. For example, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis.
- Behcet's disease. This is a rare condition that causes inflammation throughout the body.
- Autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks healthy tissue.
- HIV or AIDS. They suppress the immune system.
When exactly you need to see a doctor
Most ulcers go awayCanker sore / Mayo Clinic by themselves in 1-2 weeks. See a specialist if you have sharp edges of your teeth or if you wear dental appliances that injure your mucous membranes. Also help dentist or a therapist is needed in the following cases:
- Ulcers are unusually large.
- New wounds appear earlier than the previous ones healed.
- The ulcers do not go away for more than two weeks.
- The defeat reaches the border of the lips.
- Intense pain for which medications do not help.
- Difficulty eating or drinking.
- The body temperature rises.
- Blood comes from the woundsMouth ulcers / NHS.
- Ulcers are located deep in the throat.
How are mouth ulcers treated?
To speed upMouth ulcers / NHS healing process, doctors advise to drink through a straw, do not eat solid food, use a toothbrush with soft bristles and in a balanced way eat. It is also not recommended to consume sour or hot drinks, spicy or salty foods. You should also give up chewing gum and change your toothpaste.
If the ulcers do not heal within 1–2 weeks, see your doctor. He will prescribe treatment.
Mouthwash
The specialist will write outCanker sore / Mayo Clinic a solution that contains a steroid hormone to reduce pain and inflammation. In some cases, the mouth is rinsed with anesthetic medicine.
Nutritional supplements
If the doctor thinks that the wounds appear due to a deficiency of vitamins or certain trace elements, then he will prescribeCanker sore / Mayo Clinic supplements of B6 and B12, folic acid or zinc.
Medicines
To reduce pain and speed upCanker sore / Mayo Clinic healing can be done with over-the-counter gels, pastes, ointments, or solutions. In some cases, the underlying cause of mouth ulcers is treated. For example, Helicobacter pylori is removed from the body or hormones are used to affect the immune system.
Moxibustion
To get rid of an ulcer, you can cauterize it.Canker sore / Mayo Clinic. This is done using special tools or chemicals. But they are not always effective, although they reduce wound healing to one week.
How to prevent mouth ulcers
For prevention, you need to follow simple tipsCanker sore / Mayo Clinic:
- Eat a balanced diet. To avoid nutrient deficiencies, eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Try to reduce the amount of salty, spicy, and acidic foods in your diet. Such food irritates the mucous membrane of the mouth.
- Observe good hygiene practices. To do this, brush your teeth regularly. brush with soft bristles after meals, floss at least once a day.
- Avoid pastes and rinses containing sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Take care of your mouth. If you wear braces or other dental devices, make sure they don't injure your mucous membranes.
- Control your stress. Ulcers can appear after strong experiences, so you need to learn how to calm down and not worry about trifles. Maybe, worth doing meditation or breathing practices.
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