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This Week - U : Ulcers in the Mouth

Mouth ulcers are common and should clear up on their own within a week or 2. But see a GP or dentist if you have a mouth ulcer that lasts longer than 3 weeks.

How you can treat mouth ulcers yourself

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

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.

Find a pharmacy

See a dentist or GP if your mouth ulcer:

Treatment from a dentist or GP

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

Check if you have a mouth ulcer

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.

Causes of mouth ulcers

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:

• 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

If you want to find out more about this week's subject you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.