Last Updated: August 02, 2022, 14:40 IST
Ulcers on the gums or within the mouth are known as canker sores, often known as mouth ulcers.
Despite being unharmful, mouth ulcers can nonetheless be extremely painful and uncomfortable when speaking or eating. The size and signs of a mouth ulcer can vary depending on the type a person has. Read on to learn more
Canker sores, commonly referred to as mouth ulcers, are lesions that appear on the gums or inside the mouth. They typically appear yellowish or reddish in colour and are usually triggered by injuries, allergies, or bacterial infection, among other things. Despite being harmless, they can be quite painful and can cause discomfort while speaking or eating. The size, as well as symptoms, can differ as per the type of mouth ulcer a person has.
While the causes of mouth ulcers are still unknown, listed below are some factors that can trigger them:
- As per a study by the National Library of Medicine, people who quit smoking are most likely to develop mouth ulcers.
- Insufficient sleep.
- Emotional stress.
- Insufficient consumption of essential vitamins.
- Hormonal changes during menstruation, puberty, or pregnancy.
Spicy food and acidic fruits.
Now, let’s read about the types of ulcers:
- Minor Ulcers: These ulcers are small in size and can range between 2mm to 8mm. They are not very painful. Furthermore, they can take around two weeks to get better.
- Herpetiform ulceration (HU): These ulcers often affect adults, they are exceedingly small in size, but they appear in clusters (10 to 100). Herpetiform ulceration is recurring, and it can take about one to two weeks to heal.
- Major Ulcers: They are comparatively larger and deeper as compared to the other types of ulcers. Also, major ulcers can take about six weeks to recover and can lead to long-term scarring.
Here’s how you can treat mouth ulcers using home remedies:
- Saltwater rinse: The go-to remedy for curing mouth sores of any kind is to rinse your mouth. It dries out the sores in the mouth which results in boosting the healing process of canker sores.
- Baking soda rinse: It does wonders when it comes to healing mouth ulcers because it is believed to reduce inflammation.
- Honey: Honey is effective in lowering canker sore discomfort, size, and redness. Furthermore, as per Healthline, it could also prevent secondary infections because of the antibacterial and inflammatory properties that it possesses.
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