Aphthous
Ulcer is a kind of mouth ulcer that is non-infectious but
tends to recur. It is commonly present on the oral mucosa
of the cheeks, lips, tongue and throat.
Symptoms
Aphthous
Ulcer begins with a localised swelling of the
affected oral mucosa to form a small round or
oval shaped blister. After a day, the blister
bursts and becomes a whitish or yellowish ulcer
with a red margin. When irritated by spicy, salty
or sour food with strong taste, pain will be felt
and saliva secretion will be increased.
Causes of Aphthous Ulcer
To date, the aetiology of Aphthous Ulcer has not been confirmed. However, the predisposing factors are known as follows:
oral tissue trauma
stress
problem in endocrine system, i.e. hormonal disturbance
immune system disorder
gut problems
malnutrition (especially the deficiency of Vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, etc.)
wearing an unfit denture
Treatment
Aphthous
Ulcer usually heals within 7 to 14 days. If the
situation persists for more than 3 weeks or there
is recurrent formation of new aphthous ulcers, you
should consult a doctor for a body check-up to see
if other treatments are necessary.
Aphthous Ulcer usually heals up within 2 weeks. To avoid pain, you can:
Avoid contacting the area when brushing
Avoid
eating hard, coarse, hot or spicy food
Apply ointment prescribed by the doctor or dentist onto the area to relief pain
If you are wearing an unfit denture, you should consult your dentist to make a new denture
Method to prevent recurrent Aphthous Ulcer
Since the aetiology of Aphthous Ulcer has not been confirmed, the only way to prevent recurrence is by eliminating the predisposing factors.
