Understanding And Treating Mouth Ulcers The Right Way through Natural Remedies

Ulcers in the mouth, which are breaks in the mucous membrane, manifest as white or yellow sores with bright red edges. Also known as, aphthous stomatitis, ulcers can erupt on the gums or the inner lining of the cheek as single or multiple lesions that are painful to the touch. At times, ulcers cause the lymph nodes to swell. Many people mistake the pain of mouth ulcers for a toothache until they identify the presence of the lesion. The ulcer may last for one to four weeks. Perhaps the most important mouth ulcer information is that the condition is not contagious nor is it related to the herpes virus.

The Most Prominent Symptom, Pain

Aphthous ulcers may initially appear as a red bump that goes undetected unless in a prominent location in the mouth. There may also be a slight burning sensation in the affected area. The irritation continues to grow over a period of days until the open sore forms. The resulting lesions will be anywhere from 1 to 3 centimeters in size and extremely painful, especially when eating.

Diagnosis? You'll Feel It and See It

Some people will be able to detect a slight raised area where the ulcer will erupt, but in most cases no one knows the irritation is there until the open sore forms. Normally you will hit the ulcer with your tongue or irritate it with food or drink causing sharp pain. A visual examination of the gums or cheek will reveal a white lesion with an inflamed ring.

Causes? Nobody Really Knows

A number of factors are thought to contribute to ulcers of the mouth but no one knows exactly why they erupt. Possible causes of mouth ulcers include injury from accidental biting, stress, fatigue, illness, hormonal fluctuations (especially during menopause for women), allergies, and vitamin deficiencies (B12, iron, and folic acid.) Two common factors do stand out as particular culprits, dental braces and gluten intolerance. (Chemotherapy treatments are also a cause of mouth ulcers.)

The Pain of Dental Braces

Many people are intolerant of the gluten found in wheat, rye, barley and other grains. Part of their adverse reaction manifests in mouth ulcers. Unfortunately in this instance the cure for mouth ulcers is removing gluten products from the diet. It's not just bread that will have to go, but items like pie crusts, pastas, beer, cookies, pastry, and the like. Thankfully, more and more gluten-free products are now available.

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