WHAT ARE ORAL ULCERS?

Canker sores or mouth ulcers are usually small, round, or oval-shaped, painful, red ulcers in the oral cavity on the mucous membrane.

Location may be inside of cheeks, the floor of mouth, gums, or tongue. The ulcers usually start appearing in childhood and resolve by the thirties.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF MOUTH ULCERS?

MINOR ULCERS are 2-7mm in diameter and usually resolve early within a fortnight.

MAJOR ULCERS are big, deep ulcers with irregular edges with a punched-out appearance and raised edges and take several weeks to heal causing much pain.

HERPETIFORM ULCERS are very small pinhead-sized ulcers that appear in clusters and are many in number.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MOUTH ULCERS?

• presence of sore,
• round, or oval-shaped,
• white/grey at the center and red at the edges
• painful ulcers.
  If the ulcers are big and last for a long time can cause fever also and sometimes enlarged lymph nodes too.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MOUTH ULCERS?

• A sharp tooth or braces or ill-fitting dentures may cause recurrent trauma in the oral cavity and can form an ulcer at the site of trauma.
• Stress or tissue injury can also cause simple mouth ulcers which heal quickly.
• Citrus or acidic food items can also cause mouth ulcers.
• Nutritional deficiency of vitamin B12, zinc and folic acid can cause mouth ulcers.
• Diseases like Crohn's disease and coeliac disease also have mouth ulcers.
• Too much acidic regurgitation can also cause mouth ulceration.
• Smoking can also cause mouth ulcers.
• Chewing tobacco, Betel nuts, and paan can also cause ulceration.

DIAGNOSIS OF MOUTH ULCERS

• The typical appearance of the ulcers in the mouth is enough for diagnosis.
• A biopsy can be done on long-standing ulcers to rule out malignancy.

TREATMENT OF MOUTH ULCERS

• Treatment includes receiving the pain by painkillers.
• Removing the underlying cause.
• Treatment of the underlying disease is sought.
• Removal of sharp tooth or denture and braces.
• Advice on maintaining oral hygiene.
• Supplements in case of deficiencies.

MANAGEMENT OF MOUTH ULCERS

• Advice on quitting smoking, tobacco chewing, paan, betel nuts, etc.
• Advice on maintaining oral hygiene.
• Ask the patient to take simple food which is not too spicy, acidic, or sour.
• Ask the patient to drink a lot of water.
• Ask the patient to use a soft bristle toothbrush.
• Give supplements in case of deficiency.

HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT OF MOUTH ULCERS

Homeopathic management includes the above advice along with appropriate medicine based on the symptoms of the case.
Medicines like BORAX, NITRIC ACID, SULPHUR, GRAPHITES, MERC SOL, NATRUM MUR, SULPHURIC ACID, etc are very useful in the treatment of ulcers based on the symptoms.

DO’S AND DON’TS

DO’S

• Go for a biopsy if the ulcers last for a long time and are not healing.
• Take a normal healthy diet.
• Drink lots of water.
• Maintain oral hygiene.
• Quit smoking, betel nuts, paan etc.
• Take supplements in case of deficiency.

DON’TS

• Don't use a hard bristle toothbrush.
• Don't eat much spicy, acidic, sour food.