A mouth ulcer is basically any sore you get inside your mouth. Although they can show up as a symptom of any number of conditions, the commonest mouth ulcers are generally stand-alone sores known as apthous ulcers.

What are they?

• Apthous ulcers appear as painful lesions in the mouth wall.
  
• They often kick off with a tingling, followed by a painful red spot that blisters or ulcerates. The centre of an apthous ulcer often turns white.
  
• They usually measure 1-2mm in diameter, and take 1-3 weeks to heal.
  

What causes them?

• Nobody really knows what causes apthous ulcers. Some people appear to be more susceptible than others and this may be linked to anything from genetic make up, stress, dietary factors, hormonal imbalances or weaknesses in the immune system.
  
• Apthous ulcers often crop up following a wound to the mouth wall (i.e. accidentally biting the cheek or brushing too hard).
  

How to deal with them

• Generally, treatment is not necessarily, and the ulcer will heal within 10 days to two weeks of appearing.
  
• To ease the discomfort, try washing out your mouth with salty water, gargling with a mild mouthwash, and maintaining good oral hygiene by regularly brushing/flossing your teeth.
  
• If an ulcer gives you grief or fails to heal, always get it checked by a GP. Apthous ulcers may be the most common form of mouth ulcer, but other conditions can bring on similar symptoms, including herpes, oral cancer and thrush.

Updated: 14/01/2009