The incidence of the oral ulcer is very high. Most minor, single oral ulcers are often caused by a mechanical injury, such as accidentally biting your cheek, using improper brushing technique, or from a sharp tooth or filling. But, if you have recurrent mouth ulcers, an underlying medical condition like iron or vitamin B12 deficiency, Crohn's disease, or lack of oral hygiene, hormonal fluctuations may be to blame.

An oral ulcer is an ulcer on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, usually appears as a small, painful lesion, white or pink in color. Mouth ulcers are very common occurring in association with different diseases and by many different mechanisms.

They may form individually or multiple ulcers may appear at the same time. Oral ulcers often cause pain and discomfort and may make eating, drinking, and talking uncomfortable. Women, adolescents, and people with a family history of oral ulcers are at higher risk for developing mouth ulcers.

Although they are uncomfortable, they are usually harmless and go within 1-2 weeks. Rarely there is any serious underlying cause detected. However, if these ulcers are large, painful or last for a long time without healing then you should seek professional medical advice for further treatment.

Types Of Oral Ulcers

There are mainly 3 types of oral ulcers.

Ⅰ. Minor Aphthous Ulcer

These are small, round or oval and most common type of oral ulcer. They are less than 10 mm in size and heal within one to two weeks with no scarring. They are not very painful.

Ⅱ . Major Aphthous Ulcer

They are larger in size (usually 10mm or larger) and deeper than minor ones. Usually, 1 or 2 appear at a time. They are very painful and can take up to six weeks to heal. They leave scar while healing.

Ⅲ .  Herpetiform Ulcer

Multiple ulcers occur at the same time but some may join together and form irregular shapes. They appear in the clusters of 10 to 100. Each ulcer lasts 1 week to 2 months.

Symptoms Of Oral Ulcer

These are:

Redness, soreness, pain, and burning sensation inside the mouth

Swollen skin around the sores

Tenderness

Difficulty in chewing, talking

Irritation by hot and spicy food

Loss of appetite

Causes Of Oral Ulcers

Even though there are no fixed causative factors that cause oral ulcers, still, there are few factors that may act as a trigger. These factors may be classified into four categories.

Ⅰ. Genetic Factor: if the parents both have got recurrent oral ulceration, their children will have 80 to 90 percent possibility to suffer from oral ulcer. If one of the parent have got recurrent oral ulceration, their children will have 50 to 60 percent possibility to suffer from oral ulcer.

Ⅱ. Mental Factor: some patients may suffer from oral ulcer due to high levels of mental stress, mood swings and lack of sleep. It may related to vegetative nervous dysfunction.

Ⅲ. Endocrine Changes: For some women, oral ulcer always occurs before or during the period.

Ⅳ. Other Factors: oral ulcer may occur due to lack of trace elements, such as Zinc, iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. Malnutrition will also lead to oral ulcer.

Oral ulcers are the self-limiting condition, usually, they tend to clear up by themselves within a week or two. However, self-care and home remedies may ease pain and discomfort. These are:

Using a soft toothbrush for brushing your teeth.

Avoid hot, spicy, hard or acidic food until the ulcers heal.

Using a straw to drink.

Avoid using toothpaste that contains sodium lauryl sulfate.

You may use lozenges, mouthwashes to ease the pain and for quick healing.

Stop the medication if you suspect a medication is causing the ulcer. Talk to your doctor about other alternative medication.

Apply a protective paste recommended by your pharmacist.

See your dentist regularly.

In spite of these self-care measures if you see any worsening of the condition, then it is advisable to seek medical attention. Treating the underlying cause is a must for proper relief.