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A mouth ulcer or canker sore is a painful open sore inside the mouth caused by a break in the mucous membrane. The condition is also called aphthous stomatitis.
Symptoms
A mouth ulcer appears as a yellow or grey oval, on average about 3 mm across, with an inflamed red border. The ulcer, which itself is often extremely painful when agitated, may be accompanied by a painful swelling of the lymph nodes below the jaw, which can be mistaken for toothache.
Causes
The immediate cause of mouth ulcers is unknown, but factors that appear to provoke them include stress and illness, damage from rough teeth, and deficiencies in vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Other disorders can cause mouth ulcers, including oral thrush, leukoplakia, gingivostomatitis and oral lichen planus. Mouth ulcers are also associated with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, coeliac disease (gluten sensitivity) and Behcet's disease. The treatment depends on the cause.
Treatment
Mouth ulcers normally heal without treatment within seven to ten days. The symptoms can be alleviated by medicines such as mouthwashes, pastilles and pain-relieving gels, which are available in drugstores. Treatments based on antibiotics and steroids are reserved for severe cases, and should be used only under medical supervision. Good oral hygiene and avoidance of spicy foods can help to reduce the pain. Rinsing one's mouth with a solution made from teaspoon of Baking soda in a cup of water will temporarily numb the ulcer by neutralizing the acidic environment in the mouth. Some dentists recommend a sulfuric acid solution for treating mouth ulcers, such as debacterol. Dentists can also use a laser to stop the pain immediately and let the ulcer heal in two to three days. The miracle cures that are advertised should be viewed with skepticism.
Prevention
In some cases, switching toothpastes can prevent mouth ulcers from occurring. Tests have shown that Oral-B Rembrandt Whitening Toothpaste for Canker Sore Sufferers, for example, has been able to reduce the occurrence of ulcers by approximately 80%.
Rinsing your mouth with a mix of teaspoon of salt disolved in 250ml of water before brushing your teeth acts as a mild antibiotic and can help reduce mouth ulcers.
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