Mouth Ulcers Causes

Moth ulcers can make simple activities like, chewing food and talking, very troublesome. Whenever they rub against the rock-hard teeth, they cause inflammation and pain. You can't even smile properly, when you are haunted by them. You have to forgo hot food and food stuffs, such as meat and chicken, which need lot of jaw work, before, it can be engulfed. These mouth ulcers may also put you on liquid diet, if they manage to gang on you. If you are going through all of this trouble on their account, then, obviously, you would also like to know whether the mouth ulcers are contagious. The following is information, which you may find interesting or helpful, depending on, which are the probable causes that are affecting you.

Mouth Ulcers Causes

Mouth ulcers are also called canker sores, aphthous stomatitis or aphthous ulcers, and they are not contagious. They cannot be contracted through direct contact, such as kissing or using something touched or used by the person who has them. Most of the time, they occur, when you bite yourself on the inside of the cheek. Simple activity of brushing your teeth, if done improperly, can cause mouth ulcers. The definite reason for recurrent mouth ulcers cannot be pinpointed. Few conditions that may cause the mouth ulcers are presented below.

• Deficiency of folic acid and iron and Cyanocobalamin i.e., Vitamin B12 is often cited as the cause of occurrence of the mouth ulcers. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the absorption of iron, which is used to manufacture red blood cells (RBCs). The number of RBCs present at the site of trauma, decides the amount of oxygen supplied to the tissues in the area and the rate of recovery. Vitamin B12, folic acid and iron supplements are often recommended, to the person coping with mouth ulcers. The vitamin deficiency is one of the mouth ulcers causes in children.
• It is believed that, approximately, 35-40% cases of recurrent mouth ulcers are inherited. In an individual, if both of his parents are prone to mouth ulcers, there is 80-90% chance of his or her having mouth ulcers.
• Immunosuppressant illnesses can lay you open to an attack from mouth ulcers, by lowering the effectiveness of your immune system.
• Enteritis, which is the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, also known as the Crohn's disease, causes stomach and mouth ulcers.
• Hormonal changes that every woman has to face during the menstrual cycle may gives rise to mouth ulcers.
• Intolerance to gluten, a protein present in wheat, rye and barley, can inflame the small intestine. This condition is named as Celiac disease, which causes mouth ulcers in adults.
• Allergy to food stuffs like lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes, and strawberries (citrus or acidic fruits) and chocolate, coffee, peanuts, almonds, dairy products such as cheese, etc., are known to increase the risk of mouth ulcers.
• Few other conditions which may precipitate into a bout of mouth ulcers are stress, anxiety, tuberculosis, mouth cancer, diabetes, etc.
• There is a condition called reactive arthritis which is body's response to infection that is present elsewhere in the body. There are chances that it can spread to the mouth and of causing inflammation in the form of mouth ulcer.
• Use of certain medication such as NSAIDs (painkillers, ibuprofen and aspirin), Nicorandil or beta-blockers may also provoke a bout of mouth ulcers.
• Mouth ulcers are also seen in health conditions such as, lichen planus and Angina bullosa haemorrhagica, pharyngitis, anemia, chickenpox and hand, foot and mouth disease.

Treatment for Mouth Ulcers

Uncared for mouth ulcers can complicate the things and result in inflammation of the mouth (cellulitis), bacterial infection or tooth abscess. You should take medical advice, as early as possible and start canker sores treatment. After physical examination of ulcers and asking a lot of questions, he may ask you to perform certain blood tests and/or skin biopsy, reports of which helps him to arrive at a diagnosis. The doctor may also prescribe medication to relieve the inflammation, because of the mouth ulcers. Medicines, such as, pain killers and corticosteroids are the preferred choice to ease the pain. Most commonly used corticosteroids are triamcinolone and hydrocortisone. Over the counter products, that are available in a drug stores, may also prove helpful to you in reliving the discomfort caused by the mouth ulcers. Antimicrobial mouth wash can also be used for this purpose. Follow, the instructions that are provided with the products. Some of these products should not be used for children under 16 years of age. So, if it is your child you are buying the product for, be careful.

Because of the pain caused by mouth ulcers, it is necessary to undergo mouth ulcers treatment to get rid of them and resume, eating and conversing normally. Move as early as possible against these sores to restore your smile, enjoy every mouthful and satisfy your appetite.