Overview
Mouth ulcers can come from accidental biting, sharp teeth, braces, dentures, stress, nutritional deficiency, infections, or systemic disease. In India, non-healing ulcers must be taken seriously because tobacco and areca nut increase oral cancer risk.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Simple ulcers usually improve within one to two weeks.
- ✓Repeated trauma from a sharp tooth or denture can delay healing.
- ✓Ulcers linked with tobacco or supari exposure need screening.
- ✓Do not apply harsh chemicals, crushed tablets, or irritants to ulcers.
What You Can Do At Home
- 1Avoid spicy, acidic, and sharp foods while healing.
- 2Rinse gently with warm salt water.
- 3Cover poking orthodontic wires with wax if they are irritating the cheek.
- 4Keep the area clean and avoid tobacco in every form.
When To Book A Dentist
- !An ulcer lasts more than two weeks.
- !Ulcers keep recurring or are unusually large.
- !There is a sharp tooth, broken filling, brace wire, or denture sore.
- !You use tobacco, gutkha, pan masala, khaini, or supari.
Emergency Warning Signs
- !Ulcer with neck lump, numbness, unexplained bleeding, or difficulty swallowing.
- !Rapid swelling, fever, or dehydration because eating is impossible.