The Lowdown on Mouth Ulcers

1 in 5 people will suffer from mouth ulcers at some point in their life. Ulcers can be painful when eating, drinking or brushing teeth. It’s normal to suffer from occasional mouth ulcers, they are usually harmless and generally clear up on their own.

What causes mouth ulcers?

Believe it or not, the exact cause of ulcers is still unknown!

There are things that are thought to trigger simple ulcers such as stress or certain foods such as citrus fruits (such as lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes and strawberries), can trigger a mouth ulcer or make the problem worse. Sometimes a sharp tooth surface or dental appliances, such as braces or ill-fitting dentures, might also trigger mouth ulcers.

Occasionally cases of complex mouth ulcers are caused by an underlying health condition, such as an impaired immune system; nutritional problems, such as vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron deficiency and gastrointestinal tract diseases, such as Coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease.
Seek medical advice if they last longer than 3 weeks or keep coming back.

Sometimes medications can cause ulcers, if you notice a correlation between your medication and ulcers then it’s important you continue with the medication but seek advice from your GP as soon as possible.

How are mouth ulcers treated?

Pain from a ulcer generally lessens in a few days and the sores usually heal without treatment in about a week or two.

If sores are large, painful or persistent, your dentist may prescribe an antimicrobial mouth rinse, a corticosteroid ointment, or a prescription or non-prescription solution to reduce the pain and irritation.

Over the counter remedies such as Bonjela may help to relieve some discomfort temporarily.

When to seek medical advice:

Seek medical advice if you have any of the following symptoms with your mouth ulcer:

• Unusually large sores
• Sores that are spreading
• Sores that last three weeks or longer
• Intolerable pain despite avoiding trigger foods and taking over-the-counter pain medication
• Difficulty drinking enough fluids
• High fever with the appearance of the mouth ulcer(s)

Can mouth ulcers be prevented?

Sadly there is no cure yet for ulcers. You may be to reduce the frequency of ulcers with the following:

• Practice good dental hygiene
• Avoid foods that irritate your mouth, including acidic or spicy foods
• Avoid irritation from gum chewing
• Using a soft-bristled toothbrush after meals and flossing daily, which will keep your mouth free of foods that may trigger a sore.

You can always speak to your dentist about mouth ulcers at your next appointment.