Aphthous ulcer, also known as a canker sore, is a painful, open mouth ulcer.
Aphthous ulcers are normally non-contagious.
They are small, shallow lesions that develop on the mouth’s soft tissues or gums.
Aphthous ulcers may be painful and can make eating and talking difficult. However, aphthous ulcers usually heal on their own within a week or two. If your aphthous ulcers are large, painful, or fail to heal, contact your dentist.
Types:
The different types of aphthous ulcers are:
Minor ulcers:
They are the most common type of aphthous ulcers.
Although these ulcers are painful, they normally heal on their own without any scarring within a week or two.
Major ulcers:
These types of ulcers are less common than minor ulcers.
They appear in the form of large, round bumps inside the mouth.
These ulcers may take up to four weeks to heal and may lead to scarring.
Herpetiform ulcers:
These ulcers are rarely seen.
They generally appear as small, pinhead-sized bumps inside the mouth.
Sometimes, these ulcers may merge together to form clusters. Healing may take several weeks in such cases and could result in scarring.
Causes:
The exact cause of aphthous ulcers is not known. However, it may occur due to the following causes:
Risk factors:
Certain factors may increase the possibility of developing aphthous ulcers and may include the following:
Symptoms:
The various aphthous ulcer symptoms are:
Diagnosis:
Treatment:
Topical products:
Certain pastes, liquids, gels, or creams may aid in reducing pain and promote rapid healing.
Examples of topical products may include hydrogen peroxide, benzocaine, and fluocinonide.
Oral medications:
Oral medications may be recommended when aphthous ulcers are severe, or the ulcers fail to respond to other topical treatments.
These medicines have serious side effects and are only used as a last resort.
Cautery:
A chemical substance or instrument is used for searing, burning, or destroying the ulcer.
Debacterol is a kind of topical solution applied to chemically cauterize the aphthous ulcers.
Silver nitrate also aids in chemically cauterizing aphthous ulcers and relieving pain.
Other treatments:
Nutritional supplements may be prescribed by the doctor.
Any underlying medical disease that may be causing the aphthous ulcer is treated.
Antibiotics like doxycycline may be prescribed by the doctor.
If an aphthous ulcer lasts for more than a couple of weeks, it can cause complications like:
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