Mouth Ulcers: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments
Mouth Ulcer
A mouth ulcer is a small sore that develops inside the mouth. They can be round, oval, or irregular in shape and are usually red or purple but can also be white, yellow, or gray. Mouth ulcers often look like open sores on your tongue or in the lining of your cheek. They are painless unless you eat something acidic such as lemonade or orange juice (which hurts!).
What symptoms are associated with mouth ulcers?
- Mouth ulcers can be painful, sore, sensitive, red, and swollen
- They are small and round with a raised edge
- Redness of the skin in the area where the ulcer is located
- Swelling and soreness around the edge of a mouth ulcer
- Sore throat if you have one on your tonsils or back of your throat (which can make eating difficult)
What causes mouth ulcers
Many things can cause mouth ulcers, including stress, diet, medications, and infections. Stress is one of the most common causes of mouth ulcers. The overstimulation and increased cortisol levels associated with stress can inflame your mouth and cause sores on the lips or inside your cheeks. Eating spicy foods or hot peppers may also irritate your gums enough for you to develop a sore in that area.
Stress does not always cause mouth sores, but it can make them worse if you already have one from another cause, such as an infection or dryness from weather conditions like wintertime dry air indoors where there is little humidity which helps keep moisture in our mouths among other things like taking care not chewing on anything complicated like ice cubes while eating them since they’re harder than teeth! Medications such as antibiotics can also cause these sores because they kill off all bacteria indiscriminately – good and bad alike (but mostly bad).
How are mouth ulcers diagnosed?
Now that you have a better idea of what mouth ulcers are and how they occur, it’s time to learn more about their diagnosis. If your doctor suspects you have a mouth ulcer, he or she will likely:
- Check for other conditions that might be causing symptoms. These conditions include gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), cold sores, oral herpes, and lichen planus (a condition where the skin around your mouth becomes red, and white bumps appear on your lips).
- Check for signs of infection. In addition to looking at your tongue and inside of your cheeks with a handheld light called an otoscope, doctors also look at fluid samples inside the mouth using swabs or cotton balls soaked in a saltwater solution. This is done so that any type of bacteria or virus can be identified before further treatment begins; some conditions require antibiotics if left untreated for too long!
How are mouth ulcers treated?
- Antibiotics. In most cases, the first-line treatment for mouth ulcers is an antibiotic. These medications help to lower the risk of secondary infection by inhibiting bacteria from multiplying in your mouth and throat.
- Pain medications. To manage pain associated with these sores, your doctor may prescribe over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). If you experience severe discomfort, you will likely be prescribed more potent prescription drugs such as tramadol or codeine.
- Topical treatments: Topical treatments are often used to promote healing and relieve symptoms associated with mouth ulcers by reducing inflammation and swelling around the sore area.
Note: Consulting with a doctor before taking any medicine is recommended. So do not take medicine without consulting a Doctor.
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Mouth Ulcers
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