Six Top Tips for Managing Mouth Ulcers

About one in five of us are affected by mouth ulcers at some point in our life. They are typically small ulcerations or lesions that can appear anywhere inside the mouth – on the gums, on the inside lining of the mouth, the tongue, and the inside of the lips. Although mouth ulcers are usually benign and disappear of their own accord after a week to fourteen days, they can be incredibly painful whilst present, and often cause the sufferer to restrict their diet and fluid intake for fear of irritating the sore. Consequently, it’s useful to know how best to treat mouth ulcers to reduce the impact they have on your normal routine. Here are our top six tips for coping with them.

Mouth Ulcer Prevention

1. Look after your mouth – cleaning your teeth every morning and evening, flossing, and visiting the dentist regularly all help to ensure your basic oral health.
2. Avoid being overly aggressive in your dental hygiene routine. Brushing or flossing too vigorously, or careless use of a toothpick could cause you to damage your mouth – the most common cause of mouth ulcers.
3. If you know you are prone to ulcers (there is evidence to support that regular sufferers have a genetic predisposition for them), try switching to a toothpaste which doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
4. Avoid too many salty, spicy foods and any foods you may have developed an intolerance to.
5. Eat a mineral and vitamin-rich diet. One contributing factor to ulceration is a deficiency in B vitamins, vitamin C and iron. For more info on diet click here.

Mouth Ulcer Treatments

6. You can purchase a variety of gels and liquids from the pharmacy or supermarket. These soothe the pain and promote healing by coating the sore with a protective layer.

Adopting one or several of these top tips can help you with both the prevention and treatment of mouth ulcers.

Anbesol Adult Strength Gel, for mouth ulcer pain relief. Always read the label. Not for use in infant teething.

References:

https://patient.info/oral-dental-care/mouth-ulcers-leaflet
https://www.natureword.com/tag/foods-that-cause-mouth-ulcers
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mouth/mouth-ulcer