What causes mouth ulcers and how to treat them with stuff you have at home

WITH the weather getting colder and people starting to feel run down, mouth ulcers are going to be rearing their ugly head - but why do we get them?

Mouth ulcers are a common and painful condition but they can be treated without seeing your dentist or GP - here are the items at home you can use to get rid of one.

What causes a mouth ulcer?

Mouth ulcers can affect your cheeks, lips and tongue and they can change in appearance from white, red, yellow or grey and are often swollen.

There are a number of causes of mouth ulcers, they may be formed from trauma to the lining of your mouth, such as accidentally biting you cheek, badly fitting dentures, hard food or a loose filling.

However damage to the inside of your mouth isn't the only cause, there are a few triggers which can also cause mouth ulcers, including:

• stress and anxiety
• hormonal changes – some women develop ulcers when they're on their period
• eating certain foods – such as spicy foods, chocolate, coffee, peanuts, almonds, strawberries, cheese, tomatoes and wheat flour
• using toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulphate
• stopping smoking – some people find that when they first stop smoking they develop mouth ulcers

And sometimes it can simply be down to your genes, around 40 per cent of people who suffer from mouth ulcers say their family also develop them too.

How can you treat them with stuff you have at home?

Often ulcers can be treated using stuff you have lying around your house or you bathroom, and according to these are some of the best ways to ease the pain:

• gargling with warm water and salt (two teaspoons of salt to one glass)
• a baking soda mixture (one teaspoon with a little bit of water to make a paste and then dab on the ulcer throughout the day)

• dab your ulcer with honey to retain moisture and accelerate the healing process
• chew on a stick of celery because it has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties
• chew on a few basil leaves then sip some water afterwards because they have antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties

How you can prevent getting a mouth ulcer?

There are a number of ways you can avoid getting an ulcer, one is the avoid eating certain foods that can cause ulcers others are:

• avoid chewing gum
• use a soft-bristled brush, which may reduce irritation in your mouth
• use toothpaste for sensitive teeth

When to seek medical advice?

Ulcers are usually harmless, however there are some telltale signs to look out for it you're worried, these include:

• if your mouth ulcer has lasted three weeks or longer
• you have a mouth ulcer that keeps returning
• your mouth ulcer becomes more painful or red – this could be a sign of a bacterial infection, which may need treatment with antibiotics