Aphthous ulcers: causes and effective solutions
Aphthous ulcers are small, painful ulcerations in the mouth that can cause considerable discomfort despite their small size. They typically appear as milky white lesions with a red inflammatory border and can interfere with eating, drinking and speaking.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of aphthous ulcers, including their causes, symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatment options.
In the following, the different types of aphthous ulcers, possible triggers, preventive measures as well as detailed treatment methods and innovative approaches are explained.
Symptoms of an aphthea
- Tingling or burning sensation
- Pain when eating, drinking or speaking
- The aphthae themselves are visible as inflamed, whitish areas with a red border.
What are aphthous ulcers?
Aphthous ulcers, also known as oral ulcers or cancer sores, are small painful sores in the mouth. They can appear on the inside of cheeks, lips, on the palate, the tongue or the gums. Their size varies from one millimeter to several centimeters. There are three types of aphthous ulcers:
- Minor aphthae: Smaller lesions up to 1 cm, which usually heal within 4-14 days without complications.
- Major aphthae: Larger, deeper and very painful lesions up to 3 cm. They often take several weeks to heal and can leave scars.
- Herpetiform aphthae: Very small, very painful vesicular lesions up to 2 mm in size that occur in large numbers (up to 100) and resemble herpes blisters. However, these usually heal completely after about 7-10 days.
Causes and triggers
The exact cause of aphthae is not fully understood, but there are several factors that may contribute to their development:
- Hereditary predisposition: Family disposition
- Poor oral hygiene
- Mechanical stimuli: poorly fitting dentures/prostheses (pressure points), orthodontic appliances, toothbrushes that are too hard or dental splints (lesions) or bite injuries that lead to superficial injuries to the mucous membranes.
- Weakened immune system: acute infection or stress as well as autoimmune diseases
- Hormonal changes
- Deficiency symptoms: E.g. vitamin B12-, zinc-, iron- or folic acid-deficiency
- Food intolerances: E.g. citrus fruits, tomatoes, nuts, spicy foods or alcohol
- Medication intake: e.g. methothrexate (cytostatic drug; can cause inflammation and ulceration of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa within the first 24-48 hours) or sodium lauryl sulphate (additive in some pharmaceutical formulations such as toothpastes or medicines)
- Treatment of aphthous ulcers
Treatment of aphthae
Although there is no cure that will make aphthae disappear immediately, various treatments can alleviate symptoms and accelerate the wound healing process:
- Topical medications: Analgesic and anti-inflammatory gels, creams or sprays.
- Mouthwashes: Special solutions that help to reduce bacteria and support the healing process.
- Tablets containing cortisone: For severe cases or chronically recurring aphthous ulcers.
- Locally applicable agents: Astringent, covering, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing gels, creams, sprays or film-forming tinctures like LEGASED natur.
Measures to alleviate the symptoms
- Brush your teeth regularly after meals. Visit a dentist to eliminate the causes of poorly fitting dentures, appliances that irritate the mucous membranes and refuge niches for microorganisms.
- Implementation of measures to optimize oral hygiene at home and professionally, such as tooth cleaning instructions (use of gentle toothbrushes and other aids), nutritional advice (avoidance of irritating substances such as alcohol and spicy foods), professional teeth cleaning_and regular screenings/check-ups.
- Use over-the-counter (OTC) remedies from the pharmacy in addition to relieve symptoms.
Diagnosis of aphthous ulcers
- Aphthous ulcers are usually easy to diagnose due to their characteristic appearance.
- First signs: Round, whitish painful spots on the inside of the lips or cheeks, rarely also occurring on the gums, palate, tongue or throat.
- Consult a doctor/dentist to rule out serious illnesses: If symptoms persist or if the lesions do not heal after two weeks_. The doctor can investigate the causes with blood tests or a biopsy and rule out systemic diseases or serious illnesses such as cancer.
LEGASED natur: A powerful recipe!
- Versatile use: for the treatment of painful aphthous ulcers/canker sores, lesions and denture pressure points
- Mechanical protection: protects wounds against mechanical pressure and chemical irritation and relieves from existing pain
- Seals: reduces the ingress of harmful microorganisms and food debis into wounds
- Great adhesive power
Innovative treatment options
lege artis offers an innovative solution for the relief of aphthous ulcers with LEGASED natur. Within seconds, the viscous, film-forming liquid forms a dense protective film on the mucous membrane and thus protects against mechanical pressure and chemical irritation. LEGASED natur is applied directly after the affected area has been dried. It then forms a thin film that covers the wound like a plaster and relieves from pain at the same time. Afterwards the topping should be covered briefly with water to ensure that it will stick to affected areas and not to surrounding structures.
Although aphthous ulcers are often painful and annoying, in most cases they are harmless. By understanding the potential triggers and effective treatment methods, discomfort can be minimized for patients and their quality of life can be improved. Products such as LEGASED natur , offer patients a practical and effective way to deal easier with aphthous ulcers and support their healing.
