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Saturday, September 19, 2009

WHAT IS MOUTH ULCERS ?

WHAT IS MOUTH ULCERS ?

Painful ulcers or canker sores are sometimes found within the mouth. Usually there is only one ulcer, but occasionally several ulcers may develop at once. These may arise from several different causes, such as poor oral hygiene, nutritional deficiencies, worry, insufficient rest and heavy smoking. Any slight pressure on the gums may cause bleeding.

Ulcerations may form on the gums and about the mouth, particularly between the teeth. Swallowing and talking are painful; there may be excessive salivation and bad breath, and the inflammation may extend to the tonsils and throat. A mild fever may be present in this condition. The first sign of the sore may be a tingling, burning sensation inside the mouth. They can occur either singly or in groups. They are usually white or yellow in color, surrounded by red halos. Usually they heal within 7 to 10 days. The recurrent, bothersome form of mouth ulcers is known as recurrent apthous stomatitis or simply apthous ulcer. They take several more days to heal.
 
There may be a family history to develop canker sores, as they often run in families. Mouth ulcers may develop in response to a mouth injury such as dental procedures or aggressive tooth cleaning. Canker sores may also occur at the site of a bite when the tongue or cheek is bitten. They can be triggered by emotional stress, dietary deficiencies (especially iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12), menstrual periods, hormonal changes, food allergies, and similar situations. They occur most commonly with viral infections.
 
The membrane of the mouth may be very dry or exceedingly moist. There is pain on nursing, eating or drinking; the pain varies according to the condition or stage of the disease. The pains may be sharp or sticking if the mouth is dry or smarting and raw if the mouth is full of saliva. These ulcers may be broad and superficial or deep and narrow. Small ulcers may combine together and may form large ulcers on the side of the tongue or in the buccal cavities.

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