We keep our teeth moving for many reasons every day, and between the talking, biting and smiling, most of us have experienced a mouth ulcer. A mouth ulcer is a painful sore located somewhere in your mouth, usually with a red or yellow color. Ulcers are usually caused by some sort of trauma to the mouth such as biting your cheek or tongue, a poorly fitting retainer or denture poking your gums or even a sharp tooth. These ulcers are considered traumatic ulcers and tend to clear up after the source of the sore is dealt with.
In some cases, a patient may notice several ulcers at the same time in one area of the mouth. If this occurs and the ulcers continue to come back, you may have recurrent aphthous stomatitis. The cause of recurrent aphthous stomatitis is unknown and it is a pretty common problem among otherwise healthy patients.
Most ulcers are considered minor and appear inside the cheek or on your tongue, lips or gums. The symptoms of these sores include irritation to the area, swelling around the sore, sensitivity to spicy or salty foods touching the sore, and sometimes a loss of appetite.
So what should you do when dealing with a mouth ulcer? Most mouth ulcers are harmless and go away in about 7-10 days. There isn’t really a way to speed up recovery once you have an ulcer, however the following suggestions can help reduce the complications and allow the ulcer to heal as quickly as possible:
- Drink a lot of water and fluids.
- Avoid any spicy or very acidic/sour foods until the ulcer has healed.
- Keep your mouth as clean as possible, brushing and flossing regularly.
- Rinse out your mouth with warm salt water.
- Apply an antiseptic gel to the area of the ulcer.
Most mouth ulcers clear up and heal up all on their own, however there are times in which they do not heal this quickly. If you have a mouth ulcer that has not healed after three weeks, go ahead and give your Krengel Dental team a call ( 952-888-1311). Your friendly dentist will examine the area to make sure there are no signs of infection or other complications. Once other causes are eliminated, your dentist may suggest a topical steroid ointment or medicated mouthwash to treat the ulcer.
Have any questions about a sore you or a family member is experiencing? No better time than now to call your friendly Krengel Dental team at 952-888-1311 to make an appointment and get your questions answered.
