What Are Mouth Ulcers and Causes

Mouth ulcers can straightforwardly prove to be very painful whenever you eat or drink something. There are numerous types of mouth ulcers. Fortunately, all types of mouth ulcers can be prevented effectively.

These ulcers can be formed in a variety of ways, such as:

• When you bite the inside of your oral cavity, very hardly
• When you eat scorching foods
• When you smoke or chew tobacco.

A canker sore is the most common type of mouth ulcer. Generally, it is a sore that has a round shape, having red or white color. This type of mouth ulcer is mainly caused by actions like smoking or eating too hot things. Some smaller canker sores may get healed in a few days, but more severe ones might take several months to heal. For the treatment of these mouth ulcers, some gels and specific medications could be used.

This manifestation of mouth ulcers is not a viral disease. Rather it is an allergic reaction to a particular bacteria found in the mouth. Also, these mouth ulcers may be an allergic response to specific types of food. A malfunctioning immune system can also set off sores, but they aren’t associated with any disease. Some studies have found that nutritional deficiencies like folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron may cause mouth ulcers. Individuals with gastrointestinal difficulties sometimes may develop mouth ulcers owing to their digestive troubles.

As compared to men, more women fall prey to mouth and tongue ulcers, so it is believed that the female sex hormones add to mouth ulcers. During the menstrual cycles, a lot of women develop mouth ulcers. On the other hand, during pregnancy, women are not troubled with them. Hormone therapy has been successfully employed for the treatment of mouth ulcers in women.

Mouth Ulcers Causes

Most of the time, infection is not among the causes of mouth ulcers (Aphthous ulcer, cancer sores). These can’t be transferred from one person to the other. For instance, it is nearly impossible to get a mouth ulcer if you kiss someone suffering from it. Many mouth ulcers are caused due to some damage done to the mouth, i.e., You can accidentally damage the inside of your cheek by biting it or while eating. Also, you can damage your gums if you are habitual of doing careless tooth brushing. The causes of persistent mouth ulcers are hard to identify.

On the other hand, some of the factors can increase your likelihood of receiving recurrent ulcers. A number of these factors that cause this problem are: Emotional stress and disquiet are responsible for this difficulty. Oral trauma causes mouth ulcers. Hormonal imbalance, e.g., several females get mouth ulcers during their menstrual periods due to hormonal changes in their monthly cycle. Consuming certain products may also enhance your chances of getting mouth ulcers. These foodstuffs include chocolate, wheat flour, cheese, coffee, tea, tomatoes (mostly acidic foods).

Factors That May Affect Mouth Ulcers

Nearly 35% of individuals who get recurrent canker sores have a family history of this particular problem. So family records might be a factor. People who quit smoking often complain about mouth ulcers. In fact, it is one of the side effects of quitting smoking. Saying no to tobacco smoking or chewing is still a good idea. Tobacco irritates the mucosal membrane and has plenty of disastrous effects on your body. The long-standing medical advantages of cessation are much greater as compared to the temporary uneasiness of mouth ulcers.

Recurrent mouth ulcers could also be caused by a few underlying health conditions such as Vitamin B12 insufficiency. This type of vitamin lends a hand in making erythrocytes. Also, it keeps your central nervous system stable. Shortage of vitamin B12 also causes drowsiness, macrocytic anemia, and mouth ulcers.

If your everyday diet is deficient in iron, your erythrocytes (also called red blood cells) would definitely not be competent to carry the required amount of oxygen. As a result, you would experience fatigue, lethargy, tiredness, and dizziness. The iron shortage also causes mouth ulcers.

Coeliac disease is a result of hypersensitivity to a special type of protein known as gluten. This particular protein is present in barley, wheat, etc. As a consequence of coeliac disease, inflammation of the small intestine may happen. Some authentic researches have also concluded that in adults, Coeliac disease causes mouth ulcers. Crohn’s disease also causes mouth ulcers and gastric ulcers. Reactive arthritis is an allergic response that mainly causes inflammation of the mouth. Occasionally, it also causes mouth ulcers.

As the name indicates, immunodeficiency is a state in which the natural immune system gets weak or suppressed. As a result, the body is subjected to various ailments such as pyrexia. At times a response to a medicine you are using causes this discomfort.

A medicine such as a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) could be a cause of mouth ulcers. A pain-killing medicine like aspirin or ibuprofen also causes this problem. Keep the fact in mind that kids, who are under 14, are not supposed to be taking aspirin. Occasionally, Nicorandil is employed as a treatment for angina. Canker sores could be one of the side effects. Doctors use Beta-blockers to treat an assortment of medical conditions like high blood pressure, angina pectoris, lung failure, abnormal heartbeat, kidney problems, etc. Many times, it also causes this crisis of ulcers.

Nowadays, a good number of tests are available that can be used to find out the causes of mouth ulcers. If it is discovered to be a nutritional deficit, then vitamin supplements may be taken to stop mouth ulcers from figuring. If the case of food allergy is found, then avoiding those particular foods will assist you in cutting down the forming of mouth ulcers.

Individuals that owe the herpes simplex virus are very likely to develop cold sores in their mouth. These sores are swollen and are very painful. Even though the pain may be treated with an over-the-counter (OTC) drug, yet these can prove to be a persistent problem. Normally, they depart after a specific period of time. Like any other type of ulcer, they also don’t leave any scars.

How to Prevent Mouth Ulcers

One thing that you should necessarily know regarding mouth ulcers is that they can easily be prevented. It would be best if you brushed your teeth regularly to avoid these problems. If you brush twice a day, your teeth will definitely remain healthy. You would feel comfortable, and as a result, the chances of the occurrence of sores will be minimized.

On the other hand, it is also significant to ease yourself from any stresses you have. Emotional stresses are supposed to weaken the body with time. As a result, mouth ulcers become more likely to build up through numerous behavioral events.

Don’t forget to keep yourself away from chewing or smoking tobacco. This is significant because the detrimental effects of this stuff may cause the interior of your mouth to grow weaker and become more vulnerable to ulcers. Mouth ulcers are very inconvenient to anyone. By adopting the right behavior, you can prevent or minimize the risk of developing them.