Mouth ulcers

Overview

Mouth ulcers are painful small spots on the lining of the mouth in particular. They are round, sharply outlined and yellowish-grey in colour. Causes can include, for example, malnutrition or specific underlying diseases. A generally healthy lifestyle (sufficient sleep, balanced diet) can have a preventive effect.

Symptoms

• Painful spots on the lining of the mouth and throat
• Skin change
  • Round to oval
  • Sharply outlined, crater-shaped
  • Yellowish-grey in colour
• Minor ulcer
  • Diameter of up to 1 cm
  • Usually heals on its own within 1 to 2 weeks
  • Doesn't form a scar
• Major ulcer (more rarely):
  • Diameter of up to 3 cm
  • Can take several weeks to heal
  • Forms a scar

Causes and treatment

Causes

• Mostly unknown
• Genetic susceptibility to ulcers is suspected
• Possible triggers:
  • Injuries to the mucous membrane (e.g. biting the tongue)
  • Some food intolerances (e.g. pineapple, nuts, etc.)
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, folic acid deficiency
  • Underlying immune disorders (e.g. HIV, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Behçet’s disease, coeliac disease)

Further treatment by your doctor / in hospital

Possible tests

• Examination of mouth and throat

Possible therapies

• Tea tree oil: Topical application, has an antiseptic (disinfecting) effect
• Rinsing the mouth with chamomile or sage tea (also disinfecting)
• Ointment, spray or gel with lidocaine (local analgesic)
• Astringent tinctures (slightly caustic substances):
  • Rhubarb root extract, silver nitrate
  • Have a positive effect on the healing process
• Use cotton wool to dab the ulcer dry before applying any products
• Medical or dental intervention is often needed to heal major ulcers (e.g. laser therapy)

What can I do myself?

• Sufficient sleep, relaxation
• Balanced, vitamin-rich diet
• Optimised treatment for any underlying disease
• Change to toothpaste that doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulphate

When to see a doctor?

• Very frequent occurrence (approx. every two months, repeatedly)
  • To diagnose an underlying disease, if any
• Doesn’t heal after 1 to 2 weeks
• Grows into a major ulcer
• Children with several ulcers and fever
  • Possible, initial infection with the herpes simplex virus (aphthous stomatitis, very painful)

Synonyms

mouth ulcers, mouth ulcer