Important things to know about “Mouth Ulcer”

Digestion starts from the mouth. One has to keep the oral cavity clean to restore good health. In this article, I want to highlight about mouth ulcer and its remedies. While taking the food or during brushing the teeth if one feels pain or burning sensation in the mouth. And if they open their mouth to check the buccal cavity they can see small mouth ulcers in the mucous membrane i.e., in the soft tissue of the mouth, it is called as a mouth ulcer. 20% of the people in the world suffer from this.

According to its shape, it can be of three types;
1. Size less than 10mm is a small ulcer; 4 to 6 can be seen at a time. It gets healed without treatment within a week.
2. A bigger ulcer will have pain, burning sensation. It will be more than 10mm in size. It appears one at a time and it takes four to six weeks to get healed properly.
3. Very small ulcers, i.e., smaller than 1mm can be many in number which have red edges can get healed within a week.

Ulcers will have a round or oval shape and will have white, red, yellow or gray colors. It can be seen at the inner parts of lips, cheek, the underside of the tongue and mouth and above the gum. Exact reasons cannot be given for the mouth ulcers. Some of the known reasons like Indigestions, wound caused by food or while brushing the teeth, Bacterias, virus and fungal infections of the mouth, some chemicals which produces foam present in toothpaste and mouthwash, deficiency of vitamin B Complex, C and folic acid, Hormonal imbalance, stress, smoking and some of the medicines also causes mouth ulcers.

The following remedies can be tried:-
1. Luke warm water with salt should be used for mouth gargling, it helps to reduce pain.
2. Hot, sour and spicy foods should be avoided.
3. Water, tender coconut and buttermilk such liquid diets are to be taken.
4. Honey should be used for gargling, it should be kept in the mouth for 10-15 minutes. Every day 2 to 3 times if done for three days, it not only cures the ulcers but also will keep the buccal cavity clean.
5. After having the food, one has to make the habit of chewing a piece of ginger to sort out digestive problems.
6. If the ginger juice is taken with honey and juice of lemon, it will cure indigestion and will thus reduce the occurrence of mouth ulcer.
7. Chewing jeera and keeping it on the ulcer point for 10 minutes also cures all types of ulcer.
8. Eating fresh fruits and leafy vegetables drinking plenty of water also helps.

Mouth ulcers are usually harmless but if it is having intolerable pain, burning sensation and if associated with fever and weakness or general debility its good to see a doctor. So eat healthily and be healthy.