Mouth Ulcers: Symptoms, Natural Home Treatment And Prevention

Anyone who suffers from mouth ulcers knows how painful and irritating they can be. In severe cases multiple ulcers may appear and the discomfort can make talking and eating difficult. But what causes these little sores? And how can you get rid of them naturally?

What Is Mouth Ulcer?

Mouth ulcers, also known as apthous ulcers, are small shallow open sore that appears in the soft tissue of the mouth and often make eating and talking uncomfortable. There can be many reasons why ulcers may appear such as prescription drugs and infectious diseases such as thrush or herpes. But poor oral hygiene, accidental biting of the lip, tongue or cheek and constant rubbing against sharp misaligned teeth or braces are the main causes behind the annoying little sores. There are those
who regularly get multiple mouth ulcers for no specific reason at all. In fact it is thought that around 20% of the American population suffers from what are known as aphthous ulcers. This type of ulcer may appear during times of stress or trauma and in some cases may be due to a vitamin and mineral deficiency.
The first sign of the sore may be a tingling, burning sensation inside the mouth. They can occur either singly or in clusters. They are usually white or yellow in color, surrounded by red halos. Usually they heal within 7 to 10 days. There are 3 types of ulcers:

• Minor ulcers
• Large ulcers
• Herpetiform ulcers (where one can have up to 100 very small painful ulcers)

Common Causes Of Mouth Ulcers

• Nutritional deficiencies such as iron, vitamins, especially B12 and C
• Poor dental hygiene
• Food allergies
• Stress
• Infections particularly herpes simplex
• Biting the cheek
• Hormonal imbalance
• Bowel disease
• Skin disease

Symptoms:

 Mouth ulcers are easily identifiable by their appearance. A mouth ulcer will be:

• Round or oval in shape
• White, yellow or grey in colour
• Inflamed around the edge.
• Most mouth ulcers usually occur on:
• The inside of the lips
• The inside of the cheeks
• The floor of the mouth
• The under surface of the tongue.

It is rare to get a mouth ulcer on the roof of your mouth.
A mouth ulcer can cause pain and discomfort, particularly when eating, drinking or brushing your teeth.
Most mouth ulcers only last 10 to 14 days, although they may last for several weeks in more severe cases.

What causes mouth ulcers?

Mouth ulcers aren’t usually infectious, which means they can’t be passed from person to person.
So, you won’t get a mouth ulcer from kissing someone who has one, or by sharing drinking glasses or cutlery with them.
The exact cause of most mouth ulcers is unknown. Most minor, single mouth ulcers are caused by damage to the mouth, for example by accidentally biting the inside of your cheek while you are eating, by using a toothbrush incorrectly, or from a sharp tooth, food or filling.
Stress or tissue injury is thought to be the cause of simple mouth ulcers. Certain foods, including citrus or acidic fruits and vegetables (such as lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes and strawberries), can trigger a mouth ulcer or make the problem worse. Sometimes a sharp tooth surface or dental appliance, such as braces or ill-fitting dentures, might also trigger mouth ulcers.
Some cases of complex mouth ulcers are caused by an underlying health condition, such as an impaired immune system; nutritional problems, such as vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron deficiency and gastrointestinal tract disease, such as Coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease.
When you first quit smoking, you may develop more mouth ulcers than normal, but this is temporary.
Some medications, including common pain killers, beta-blockers and some chest pain medicines ?may cause a reaction that leads to mouth ulcers.
Other causes of more troublesome mouth ulcers, or ones that keep coming back, include:

Stress And Anxiety

Some people find they develop mouth ulcers during times of stress or when they’re feeling particularly anxious.

Hormonal Changes

Some women develop mouth ulcers during their monthly period.

Family History

Around 40% of people who have recurrent mouth ulcers report that it runs in their family.

Food Triggers

Eating certain foods can increase your likelihood of mouth ulcers. Culprit foods include:

• chocolate
• coffee
• peanuts
• almonds
• strawberries
• cheese
• tomatoes
• wheat flour

Stopping Smoking

When you first stop smoking, you may find that you develop mouth ulcers. This is a normal reaction. Your body is dealing with the change in chemicals in your body.
After giving up smoking, any increase in mouth ulcers will be temporary, so don’t let it put you off stopping smoking. The long-term health benefits of not smoking are far greater than the short-term discomfort of mouth ulcers.

Medical Conditions

If you have recurrent mouth ulcers, they may be caused by an underlying medical condition, such as those outlined below:

• Vitamin B12 deficiency – Vitamin B12 helps to make red blood cells and keeps your body’s nervous system healthy. If you do not have enough vitamin B12, it can cause tiredness, shortness of breath and mouth ulcers.

• Iron deficiency – if you do not get enough iron in your diet, your red blood cells will not be able to carry as much oxygen. This can make you tired, lethargic, and dizzy. Although not as common as other symptoms, an iron deficiency can also cause mouth ulcers.

• Coeliac disease – this is a condition where the small intestine becomes inflamed, and it is caused by intolerance to a protein called gliadin, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. Mouth ulcers are a common symptom in adults with the disease.

• Inflammatory bowel disease – refers to two chronic idiopathic diseases called ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Gastrointestinal tract inflammation associated with these conditions can cause ulcers in both your stomach and your mouth

• Reiter’s syndrome – classically, this disease follows another infection such as diarrhoea and can cause a variety of inflammatory processes such as arthritis to weightbearing joints.
• Mouth ulcers are usually painless.  This is a reaction to another infection within your body. It can cause inflammation, which sometimes spreads to your mouth.

• Immunodeficiency – any condition which attacks, or suppresses, your body’s immune system (which protects the body against infection and illness) can cause you to get mouth ulcers. HIV is an example of an immunosuppressant illness

• Drugs – Some medications can cause mouth ulcers. Examples of medicines that can cause aphthous ulcers are: nicorandil, anti-inflammatory drugs, and oral nicotine replacement therapy.

• Other inflammatory disorders – Behçet’s syndrome, an inflammatory disease affecting many organs, including the eyes, genitals, skin, joints, blood vessels, brain, and gastrointestinal tract, can cause recurring, painful mouth sores. Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a type of allergic reaction, causes skin blisters and mouth sores.

Home Remedies Treatment For Mouth Ulcers

If your ulcers are mainly due to a poor diet there are some simple steps that you can take to prevent them. Eat more fruit and veggies and foods that are rich in vitamin B as these are thought to work wonders. Avoid eating hot and spicy foods as these can irritate your mouth and make you more prone to ulcers.
These are few effective home remedies/ tips for Mouth Ulcer:
Tip 1:
Coconut oil is fast becoming known as a great home remedy for a number of things including curing mouth ulcers. Simply rub some of the oil directly on to your ulcers twice a day and you should notice a massive difference.
Grate some fresh coconut. Extract the milk and gargle with this 3-4 times a day.
Tip 2: 
Keep 1 glass of chilled water and 1 glass of hot water ready at hand. Gargle alternately with hot and cold water.
Tip 3: 
Boil 2 cups of water. Add 1 cup fenugreek leaves and remove. Cover and keep for sometimes. Strain the water and gargle 2-3 times a day.
Tip 4: 
Boil 1 tsp of coriander seeds in 1 cup of water. Remove when slightly warm gargle. Repeat 3-4 times a day.
Tip 5:
Chew on 5-6 tulsi (holy basil leaves) and sip some water. Repeat 5-6 times a day.
Tip 6:
Eating raw tomatoes helps rid mouth ulcers.  Can also gargle with tomato juice 3-4 times a day.
Tip 7:
Mix 7 parts of sugar candy (mishri) with 1 part of camphor. Apply on the blister.
Tip 8:
Mix a pinch of turmeric powder to 1 tsp glycerine and apply.
Tip 9:
Add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of water and gargle.
Tip 10:
Rub dry Kattha (catechu) or apply power or paste of Kattha (catechu) on ulcer or on the affected area and spit after 2-3 min. It will give you immediate relief.
Tip 11: 
Eating yogurt also help to heal ulcers.
Tip 12:
Applying ghee or glycerine, it also helps in minor ulcers.
Tip 13:
Apply powdered Alum on ulcers, it is one of the most effective home remedy.
Tip 14:
Drinking coconut milk in empty stomach, mouth ulcers will get cured within 3 days.

Health Beckon