Mouth ulcer facts
Mouth ulcers are very common. Mouth ulcers are painful, annoying and sometimes embarrassing. They are red breaks in the lining of your mouth. The pain is caused by the nerves just below the surface of the lining of the mouth becoming exposed. Luckily most mouth ulcers are easy to treat.
Causes of mouth ulcers
Damage to the mouth lining is very common. Damage from brushing your teeth too vigorously, from orthodontic braces or biting the inside of your mouth.
Most common in teens stress related mouth ulcers will heal within a couple of weeks. Prevention is by resolving stress related problems or using stress busting relaxation strategies.
Disease Related Mouth Ulcers
There are some serious causes of mouth ulcers.
Mouth ulcers can be symptoms of herpes infection, sex related infection (canker sores), inflammatory bowel disease , leukoplakia, gingivostomatitis, oral cancer, herpes simplex, oral thrush, and immune disorders. If mouth ulcers are a symptom of a disease they are usually accompanied by other symptoms in the body, but not always.
Most mouth ulcers last between 1 to 2 weeks. If mouth ulcers do not heal it could be a sign of disease that needs medical attention.
Treatments for mouth ulcers
Some treatments will require the source or cause of the mouth ulcer being removed or disease treated. For most mouth ulcers treatment is easy and effective.
Prevention of mouth ulcers
Prevent mouth ulcer with good oral hygiene
Eating a healthy diet
Good intake Vitamin B, C and zinc
Avoiding very hot drinks and food
By reducing stress
If mouth ulcers do not heal within 2 to 3 weeks it could be a sign of disease that you need medical attention and treatment for. Most mouth ulcers are painful but harmless. If mouth ulcers recur frequently go see your doctor for advice and a health check up.
Article Updated 04/25/2006
