MOUTH SORES (Aphtha – Canker)

 MOUTH SORES (Aphtha – Canker)

Mouth ulcersare sores that appear in the mouth, often on the inside of the cheeks.
Mouth ulcers, also known as aphtha ulcers, can be painful when eating, drinking or brushing teeth.
Occasional mouth ulcers are usually harmless and clear up on their own. Seek medical adviceif they last longer than 3 weeks or keep coming back.
Mouth ulcers cannot be caught from someone else.
Up to 1 in 5 people get recurrent mouth ulcers.

The exact cause of most mouth ulcers is unknown. 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.

What are the symptoms?

 If you have:

• A painful sore or sores inside your mouth, on the tongue, soft palate or inside your cheeks.

• Sores in your mouth that are round, white, or grey in colour, with a red edge or border.

 In severe mouth ulcer attacks, you may also experience:

• Fever

• Swollen lymph nodes

Painfrom a mouth ulcer generally lessens in a few days and the sores usually heal without treatment in about a week or two.

Seek medical advice about mouth ulcers if you have:

• Unusually large sores

• Sores that are spreading

• Sores that last three weeks or longer

• Intolerable pain despite avoiding trigger foods and taking over-the-counter pain medication

• Difficulty drinking enough fluids