Mouth ulcer misery no more
A mouth ulcer may be a dreadfully sore to have but it is both curable and preventable.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said he was prone to an outbreak of painful mouth ulcers before a major tennis championship.
However, he has not been the only. Mouth ulcers, also known as canker sores, regularly affect around 20 percent of the population and most people will experience at least one during their lifetime.
Mouth ulcers can happen at any time, but more common when one is busy or stressed, especially with exams, deadlines and other pressures.
This is however curable as mouth ulcers are not contagious and usually clear up by themselves in a few days.
Some medication causes mouth ulcers, as do allergies; people with coeliac disease may develop ulcers when they eat foods containing gluten. Women are more likely to experience ulcers, usually when they are premenstrual, tired or pregnant. Babies and young children may be affected as a result of common viruses (including Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease). Once-off ulcers are usually the result of a minor injury such as accidentally biting the cheek.
Whatever the cause, mouth ulcers can be extremely painful, because they expose sensitive nerve endings, making drinking, eating and even talking uncomfortable. For some people the pain is so severe they cannot sleep.
IVO Health’s oral hygiene expert Dirna Grobbelaar recommends simple ways to manage the pain of mouth ulcers and assist the recovery.
She advises eating plainer food and drinks, avoiding spice and salt or acidic drinks like orange juice that might burn. “Drinking with a straw to bypass ulcers in the front of the mouth will help, but be careful that the drink is not hot enough to burn the throat. After eating and before going to bed, rinse with salt water, homeopathic Ora-Salts or an anti-bacterial mouthwash such as GUM Paroex – these will prevent the ulcer becoming infected and promote quicker healing,” she explains.
Most mouth ulcers will last up to 10 days before clearing up naturally. If an ulcer does not heal within two to three weeks consult your doctor or dentist.
Details: www.mouthulcers.co.za
