Yarrawarrah Pharmacy

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Your Local Pharmacist is

Fatima Caldarevic

Shop 9 1 Laurina Avenue
Yarrawarrah NSW 2233
ph: (02) 9520 5211
fax: (02) 9520 2160

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:: In Brief

:: Mouth Ulcers

Everyday Ailments
Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers, also called canker sores, aphthous stomata and recurrent aphthous stomatitis, mostly occur on the inner cheek, inner lip, tongue, soft palate, floor of the mouth, and sometimes the throat. They are usually about 3-5mm in diameter - though for those sufferring chronic mouth ulcers often significantly larger, and appear 2 or 3 at a time, or worse still there can be 10-20 or more.

Mouth ulcers forms quickly and can be very painful. They usually heal in about a week.

Signs & Symptoms:

Ulcers start as a result of physical damage (1) which is easy to see, or by an allergic reaction or auto-immune system response to chemical or biological agents (2).

1) Physical damage:

Accidentally biting or chewing the inside of the cheek or tongue
Puncture wounds caused by objects such as sharp crisps
Damage to the inside of the mouth from hot or acidic food or drinks
Rubbing against braces, dentures and misaligned teeth
A dry mouth
Wear and tear from vigorous licking!

2) Allergic reaction or auto-immune system response to chemical or biological agents:

These can initiate the formation of ulcers
This can include such things as alcohol or aspirin
Viral, bacterial or fungal infection
Vitamin deficiencies such as Vitamin C
The primary damage takes place underneath the surface causing cells to die within the connective tissue. Initially nothing looks or feels wrong until the damage reaches the surface and the ulcer suddenly ‘appears from nowhere’.
Certain medicines - ask your Pharmacist
Some cancer treatments
Some medication conditions can cause mouth ulcers
Diseases with affect the immune system

Some Tips:

Avoid spicy foods while affected by a mouth ulcer
Sucking on ice may help reduce the pain
Have your dentures checked regularly to make sure they fit
Brush the teeth gently and use a mouth wash

Treatment

Most mouth ulcers will heal by themselves. Ask your Pharmacist for advise on products that reduce pain and help ulsers to heal faster.

The main forms of treatment involve:

Pastes - form a protective layer and relieve the pain. Some pastes contain anti-inflammatory cortisone medicines which can help mouth ulcers to heal faster and stop more from forming
Mouthwashes - Stop bacteria in the mouth from infecting the ulcer and may also reduce the redness and swelling. They work best if used as soon as ulcer is felt and are helpful for treating hard to reach mouth ulcers. It can be painful to clean teeth with a mouth ulcer so mouthwashes can help keep teeth clean
Gels - relieve the pain, redness and swelling. They may contain medicines which number the ulcer or medicines that stop bacteria infecting the ulcer
Paints - relieve the pain

Prevention:

The majority of the types of ulceration require treatment of the underlying cause of the oral ulceration for successful prevention, such as:

Controlling imbalances in vitamins and minerals related to ulceration
Managing or restricting the disease processes
Avoiding substances such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) in toothpaste have shown to reduce the ulcerative process
If damage occurs, such as biting, bathe the wound with an anti-bacterial mouthwash for one minute every 12 hours for 2 days. Quantities around 1ml are more than sufficient. Ideally, the first treatment should occur within 3 hours
Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
Eat healthy food

Ask your Pharmacist about:

Suitable treatment for mouth ulcers
How to prevent mouth ulcers