Mouth Ulcer

Oral ulcers, Stomatitis, Mouth ulcers, Crohn’s disease, and coeliac disease.

Root Cause of Disease

In many cases, the reason for mouth ulcers is unclear. Most single mouth ulcers are caused by damage to the lining inside of the mouth. For example:

• Accidentally biting the inside of your cheek or a sharp tooth
• Poorly fitting dentures
• Hard food
• A defective filling

Symptoms

The symptoms of a mouth ulcer depend on the cause, but may include:

• One or more painful sores on part of the skin lining the mouth.
• Swollen skin around the sores.
• Problems with chewing or tooth brushing because of the tenderness.
• Irritation of the sores by salty, spicy, or sour foods.
• Loss of appetite.

Aphthous ulcers generally occur on the softer mouth lining of the lips, cheeks, sides of the tongue, floor of the mouth, back of the roof of the mouth, and around the tonsil area. These ulcers are usually no larger than 5mm. You may develop more than one aphthous ulcer at a time, and sometimes these ulcers are joined together.

Causes

Mouth ulcers can be caused by a wide range of factors including:

• Accidentally biting the inside of your cheek.
• Injury from a toothbrush (such as slipping while brushing).
• Constant rubbing against misaligned or sharp/broken teeth.
• Constant rubbing against dentures or braces.
• Burns from eating hot food.
• Irritation from strong antiseptics, such as mouthwash.
• Viral infections such as herpes simplex viral infection (cold sore).
• Reaction to certain medications.
• Skin rashes in the mouth (for example, lichen planus).
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Underlying vitamin or iron deficiency.
• Underlying gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease or coeliac disease.
• Mouth cancer.

Ulcers may become worse during periods of stress, illness, or extreme fatigue.

Types of mouth ulcers: 

Here are the main types of mouth ulcers:

• Minor ulcers: These ulcers are around 2 – 8 mm in diameter and they usually clear up in ten days to two weeks.
• Major ulcers: Major ulcers are deeper and bigger and they are often with an irregular or raised border. Major ulcers can take several weeks to heal and they can leave a scar in the mouth.
• Herpetiform ulcers: If you have this type of mouth ulcer, then you have a cluster of dozens of small sores the size of pinheads.

Home Remedies to treat Mouth Ulcer

Remedy – 1: Orange Juice

Materials: Oranges, Glass, Juicer, Strainer.

Orange is a great source of Vitamin C, which can prevent and aid mouth ulcers. However, consuming a whole orange may be difficult when you are suffering from these ulcers. Drinking two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice daily is a great cure for mouth ulcers.

Research has shown that Vitamin C deficiency can lead to mouth ulcers. Apart from this, Vitamin C is known to boost the immunity of a person, allowing their body to fight against all kinds of infections and diseases.

Procedure:

1. Rinse the oranges under water.
2. Peel the oranges and slice them into four parts.
3. Place the sliced oranges into the grinder or juicer.
4. Grind until they become juicy.
5. Sieve the juice over a mesh strainer.
6. Pour the collected orange juice into tall glasses.

Product link: Orange

Remedy – 2: Apple Cider Vinegar

Materials: Warm water, Spoon, Glass, Apple cider vinegar

Procedure:

1. Take a tablespoon of this and mix it with half a cup of warm water.
2. Take this solution inside your mouth and rinse with it.
3. Keep repeating for a minute or two.
4. Once this is done, rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain water.
5. You can keep repeating this every morning and evening, till the time the ulcer heals.

Product link: Apple Cider Vinegar

Remedy – 3: Coconut milk

Materials: Coconut milk, Honey

Coconut milk is a very effective home remedy for soothing the pain that is caused by mouth ulcers.

Procedure:

• You should mix a little honey with one tablespoon of coconut milk.
• You should massage the affected area with this home remedy. You should do this natural treatment 3 or 4 times per day.
• Also, there is another option and that is to rinse your mouth with fresh coconut milk or massage the coconut oil on the affected area.

Remedy – 5: Honey

Materials: Honey

Honey soothes the mouth ulcers because it can help to retain moisture and will accelerate the healing process. Also, it has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

Procedure:

• You should dip a cotton swab in honey and then dab it on the affected area.
• Also, you can use Vitamin E oil or glycerin in the same way. You should use manuka honey as your natural treatment for mouth sores that are caused by radiation therapy. 

Product link: Honey

Other Remedies

Homemade creams to apply on mouth ulcers:

• Chew a piece of dry coconut slowly. It soothes the wounds, quickens healing, and reduces pain.
• Apply coconut oil over the ulcers.
• Apply ghee over the ulcers.
• You can mix a pinch of turmeric with coconut oil or ghee before applying it for quick healing.

Cabbage juice

You should boil one raw cabbage in water until the water quantity reduces to half. You should sip a glass of this juice to get relief from the pain caused by a mouth ulcer. You should drink 3 – 4 glasses of cabbage juice a day.

Coriander seeds

The old Ayurvedic home remedy for mouth ulcers is an infusion of coriander seeds. It can give relief and it can reduce inflammation. In one cup of water put one teaspoon of coriander seeds and then boil it. You should strain it and then allow it to cool. You should swish this home remedy around in your mouth. You should do this natural treatment 3 or 4 times per day. 

Basil

You can use basil leaves as your natural treatment for mouth ulcers because they can speed up the healing process. Also, they have antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. You should wash 4 or 5 basil leaves thoroughly. You should chew them and then sip a little water afterward. You should do this natural treatment two times per day, once in the morning and once in the evening. This home remedy can also help to cure bad breath.

Preventions

Mouth ulcers can be avoided in some cases by:

• Brushing your teeth gently with a soft toothbrush, taking care not to slip with the brush.
• Eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
• Making sure that underlying medical conditions are well-controlled.

When to seek treatment for mouth ulcers?

If ulcers interfere with your normal daily activities or have persisted for 2 weeks, see your dentist or an oral medicine specialist. In some cases, you may need blood tests if it’s suspected that you have an underlying deficiency (such as iron, folate, or vitamin B deficiency) or an inflammatory condition.

If your oral health professional can’t determine the cause of your mouth ulcers, or if the ulcers don’t respond to normal treatments, you may need to have a biopsy of part of the ulcer and some of the surrounding tissue. A biopsy is a procedure where a tissue sample is taken for examination and diagnosis.