When raw area occurs on internal surface of mouth due to break in mucous membrane which is not able to heal, we call it as oral ulcer. It is very common , generally associated with systemic medical problem. It may be acute or chronic , localized or diffuse. It may be a small ulcer or painful sore. Oral ulcercan be caused by various reason .

• Mechanical/ physical injury e.g tongue bite, cheeck bite, lip bite, accidental toothbrush injury.
• Oral mucous membrane burn ,e.g while eating hot food
• Thermal injury generally leads to ulceration on palate and tongue
• Chemical burn e.g aspirin burn
• Poor oral hygiene
• Sharp tooth / decayed tooth / lost tooth
• Due to orthodontic braces treatment
• Due to Improper fitting of denture
• Vitamin deficiency like vit B12 deficiency leads to tiredness which causes oral ulcer
• Mineral deficiency e.g zinc deficiency
• Anemia like iron deficiency anemia contributes to oral ulcers
• Stress –it is not directly related to ulcer formation, but it aggravates the oral ulcer
• Stomach upsets and constipation
• Medical problems likes CRONS Disease (inflammatory bowl disease) , digestive track disease , choliac disease
• Bacterial infection like tuberculosis
• Viral infection like Herpes simplex
• Fungal infection like candidiasis
• Some medicines like NSAIDs
• Dry mouth due to alcohol consumption ,smoking ,radiotherapy
• Some food allergy/ sensitivity
• Hormonal Changes
• Due to some toothpaste or mouthwash if person is allergic to one of the ingredients in it.
• Chewing tobacco which may result in formation of malignant (cancerous )ulcer
• Apthous ulcer - 20% of population suffer from it. It has no known cause. Mostly seen in women under the age of 40 years. It is predominately found in non smoker in higher socioeconomical status

Common sites for oral ulcer

• Tongue
• Floor of mouth
• Gingiva
• Palate
• Buccal mucosa
• Lip

Person having oral ulcer facing difficulty while eating , drinking and speaking. Hence leads to loss of appetite. If it gives trouble then one must visit Dentist immediately. Dentist will do careful clinical examination, blood test and if required biopsy for the same. Generally minor ulcer heals on its own within 2 weeks without scar formation. Major ulcer may takes 6 weeks to heal with scar. Those ulcer persisting more than 2 weeks or recurrence or non-painful ulcer at one or more part of mucosa or spreading ulcer or ulcer with pain and fever requiresattention by Dentist. Because non-healing ulcer for more than 2 weeks leads to red and white patches on lining of tongue or on oral mucous membrane can be early sign of oral cancer.

Treatment and prevention:

1. Generally ulcer are harmless and resolved by its own without treatment

2. Food at room temperature is advisable, spicy & sour food, hot and oily food should be avoided.

3. Balanced and nutritional diet is recommended.

4. Antimicrobial mouthwash, antiseptic gel, multivitamin preparations

5. Maintenance of good oral hygiene and gentle brushing

6. Drinking plenty of fluids

7. Use of local anesthetic gel, topical application of ointment

8. If pain in ulcer tab. Paracetamol can be used

9. Home remedies like application of damp teabag, baking soda, honey can help.

10. Warm saline / salt water gargle even though painful is strongly recommended as it is helpful to dry oral ulcer.

11. Removal of causative factor like sharp tooth, good oral prophylaxis to maintain hygiene can be done by Dentist

6. Application of wax on braces is helpful.

Our team of Om Dental Nagpur can provide you with even more information keeping your teeth in top condition. For more information, give us a call today on +91 8308729144 or visit us at https://omdentalnagpur.com