Mouth ulcers

Mouth ulcers are rarely a sign of anything serious, but may be uncomfortable to live with. They need time to heal and there's no quick fix. Avoiding things that irritate your mouth ulcer should help: speed up the healing process reduce pain reduce the chance of it returning Do use a soft-bristled toothbrush drink cool drinks through a straw eat softer foods get regular dental check-ups eat a healthy, balanced diet Don’t do not eat very spicy, salty or acidic food do not eat rough, crunchy food, such as toast or crisps do not drink very hot or acidic drinks, such as fruit juice do not use toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulphate A pharmacist can help with mouth ulcers A pharmacist can recommend a treatment to speed up healing, prevent infection or reduce pain, such as: antimicrobial mouthwash a painkilling tablet, mouthwash, gel or spray corticosteroid lozenges a salt (saline) mouthwash You can buy these without a prescription. How to rinse with salt mouthwash Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water – warm water helps salt dissolve. Rinse your mouth with the solution, then spit it out – do not swallow it. Repeat as often as you like. Find a pharmacy

A GP or dentist may prescribe stronger medicine to treat severe, persistent or infected mouth ulcers. Possible treatments include: steroids given as either a mouth spray, tablets that dissolve in your mouth or tablets that can be dissolved in water painkilling gels, ointments, sprays or tablets mouthwashes to kill or remove any germs in your mouth

Mouth ulcers usually appear inside the mouth on the cheeks or lips. Credit: DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/832116/view Ulcers can also appear on the tongue. Credit: DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/115960/view You may have more than 1 ulcer at a time. Mouth ulcers are not contagious and should not be confused with cold sores . Cold sores appear on the lips or around the mouth and often begin with a tingling, itching or burning sensation. They can also appear as a small group of pinhead-sized ulcers inside the mouth.

Most single mouth ulcers are caused by things you can try to avoid, such as: biting the inside of your cheek badly fitting dentures, braces, rough fillings or a sharp tooth cuts or burns while eating or drinking – for example, hard food or hot drinks a food intolerance or allergy damaging your gums with a toothbrush or irritating toothpaste feeling tired, stressed or anxious Sometimes they're triggered by things you cannot always control, such as: hormonal changes – such as during pregnancy your genes – some families get mouth ulcers more often a vitamin deficiency, such as iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin B or vitamin D medicines – including some NSAIDs, beta blockers or nicorandil stopping smoking – people may develop mouth ulcers when they first stop smoking If you have several mouth ulcers, it can be a symptom of: hand, foot and mouth disease , which also causes a rash on the hands and feet oral lichen planus , which causes a white, lacy pattern inside the cheeks Crohn's disease and coeliac disease (conditions that affect the digestive system) a weakened immune system from having a condition like HIV or lupus