What to do if you have long-term oral ulcers?

Oral ulcers

What are oral ulcers?

Oral ulcers, commonly known as "aphthous ulcers", are superficial ulcers that occur on the oral mucosa. They can range in size from rice grains to soybean sizes, and are round or oval. The ulcer surface is concave and surrounded by congestion. The pain can be caused by irritating food and usually heals on its own in one to two weeks. Oral ulcers recur periodically and are medically called "recurrent oral ulcers". It can occur several times a year, several times a month, or even new and old lesions appear alternately.

How to identify oral ulcers and erosion

Although oral mucosal ulcers and erosion are common symptoms of oral mucosal diseases, they are two completely different things. First of all, erosion and superficial ulcers are different in clinical manifestations. There is a difference between superficial ulcers. Oral ulcers can be caused by systemic or local factors. Although various ulcers can be divided into intraepithelial or subepithelial, superficial or deep, acute or chronic, benign and malignant, they are all concave; regular in shape, round or oval; The border is clear and "clearly separated" from the surrounding normal mucosa. The clinical manifestations of oral erosion are congestion and erosion that are flush with the normal mucosal surface, without depression, and are covered with exudative pseudomembranes with various and irregular shapes, and unclear boundaries with the surrounding normal mucosa. Secondly, the course and prognosis of the two are different. Ulcers generally have a short course, and once they heal, they are "clean". Superficial and benign ulcers will not leave scars after healing, with the exception of ulcers that reach deep into the muscle layer and malignant oral ulcers. Erosion generally has a long course, is delayed repeatedly, and the healing process is "sloppy", but erosion generally does not leave scars. The last two appear differently under a microscope. Ulcers show interruptions in epithelial continuity, and erosions are superficial without interruptions in epithelial continuity. When ulcers and erosions are less typical, identification will be difficult, but as long as you observe carefully, they can generally be distinguished. It is worth mentioning that these two lesions can transform into each other or both exist at the same time.

How to prevent oral ulcers?

Oral ulcers are largely related to personal physical fitness, so it is unlikely to completely avoid their occurrence, but if you try to avoid triggering factors, you can still reduce the incidence.

The specific measures are:

1. Pay attention to oral hygiene, avoid damaging the oral mucosa, avoid spicy food and local irritation.

2. Keep a comfortable mood, be optimistic and cheerful, and avoid trouble and anxiety.

3. Ensure adequate sleep time to avoid excessive fatigue.

4. Pay attention to the regularity of life and nutritional balance, develop certain defecation habits, and prevent constipation

Whether oral ulcers require surgery

Surgery is the treatment of Western medicine One of the conventional methods for tumors and other diseases. Is this method also suitable for oral ulcers? There are many causes of oral ulcers. Acute traumatic oral ulcers will heal quickly as long as the irritating factors are removed, and of course no surgery is required. Recurrent oral ulcers occur frequently, have uncertain locations, and “come and go”, which is certainly not an indication for surgery. As for those oral ulcers that have not healed for a long time, have significantly expanded in area, become hard in texture, and even have swollen adjacent lymph nodes and general fatigue, we must be highly vigilant about their cancer. It is necessary to cut out a part of the damaged tissue under local anesthesia and observe it under a light microscope. . This is called "pathological examination" and cannot be called "operation". Surgery is only required when the case biopsy proves that the oral ulcer has become cancerous or has severe epithelial dysplasia. Therefore, surgery is not a conventional treatment for oral ulcers. In addition, other non-surgical physical therapies such as laser, freezing, and microwave are more convenient and easier to perform. These methods can also be used for cases of oral ulcers with exposed lesions and small areas

How to distinguish between benign ulcers and Malignant ulcer?

The probability of oral ulcers occurring in a person's life is almost 100%. Oral ulcers do have the potential to become cancerous. Therefore, identifying benign and malignant ulcers is a matter of concern to everyone. In terms of whether it will become malignant, benign oral ulcers refer to oral ulcers that will not turn into cancer, while malignant oral ulcers are the opposite. So how to distinguish between benign oral ulcers and malignant oral ulcers?

First, differentiate based on ulcer healing time. Benign oral ulcers generally heal within days to weeks, while malignant oral ulcers develop progressively and may not heal for months or even years. Secondly, it can be distinguished by form. Benign oral ulcers generally have a regular shape, with round, oval or linear shapes, neat and clear edges, and clear boundaries with surrounding tissues. The base of the depression is smooth, soft to the touch, and painful. Malignant oral ulcers, on the other hand, are often irregular in shape, with unclear boundaries, uneven edges, and uneven, granular bottoms. They are hard and tough to the touch, which is obviously different from normal mucosa, and the ulcer pain is not very obvious. Third, it can be distinguished by the regularity of the course of the disease. Benign oral ulcers often recur and are self-limiting, while malignant oral ulcers have no history of recurrence. Once they develop, they never heal. Fourth, it can be distinguished based on the overall condition. Benign oral ulcers have rare systemic symptoms. The cervical lymph nodes are not swollen or although they are swollen, they are not hard or adherent. Malignant oral ulcers are the opposite, and some even have cachexia. Finally, a judgment can be made based on the sensitivity to the drug. Benign oral ulcers generally take anti-inflammatory and antiseptic drugs to achieve obvious results and accelerate healing, while malignant oral ulcers often "ignore" the drugs and the effect is not obvious.

What causes oral ulcers?

Modern medicine believes that recurrent oral ulcers are closely related to immunity. Some patients show immunodeficiency, while others show autoimmune reaction, that is, due to various factors, the body's normal immune system produces an immune response to its own tissue antigens, causing tissue destruction and disease. Secondly, it is related to heredity. In clinical practice, the incidence of recurrent oral ulcers has an obvious family genetic tendency. We often see that if one or more parents suffer from recurrent oral ulcers, their children will be more likely to have recurrent oral ulcers than the average person. More susceptible to illness. In addition, the onset of recurrent oral ulcers is often related to some diseases or symptoms, such as gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, chronic or persistent hepatitis, colitis, etc., as well as anemia, partial eclipse, indigestion, and diarrhea. , fever, lack of sleep, excessive fatigue, mental stress, high work pressure, changes in menstrual cycle, etc. As one or more factors become active, alternate, and overlap, the body's immunity decreases and immune function becomes disordered, which leads to frequent attacks of recurrent oral ulcers.

Treatment methods for oral ulcers

Although there are many treatment methods for oral ulcers, they are basically symptomatic treatments. The purpose is mainly to relieve pain or reduce the number of recurrences, but they cannot completely cure the disease. Control recurrence, so prevention of this disease is particularly important.

You should usually keep your mouth clean, gargle with salt water frequently, quit smoking and drinking, have a regular daily life, and ensure adequate sleep. Insist on physical exercise, eat a light diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat less spicy and thick-tasting foods to keep defecation smooth. Women should pay attention to rest before and after menstruation, keep a happy mood, avoid excessive fatigue, eat a light diet, eat more fruits, fresh vegetables, drink more water, etc., to reduce the chance of aphthous ulcers.

It should be reminded that long-lasting ulcers in the oral cavity may become cancerous over time because they are often stimulated by chewing and talking. Especially in those parts that are in contact with the teeth, such as there are remaining damaged teeth that have not been removed, or the dentures worn are inappropriately made, and their sharp edges are constantly irritating, scratching the mucous membrane, and causing ulcers. If the irritating factors are not removed, the ulcers will Not only will it not heal, it will get worse day by day. This kind of ulcer that does not heal for a long time may also be a precancerous lesion that can easily become cancerous. If you often suffer from oral ulcers, you need to pay attention to the above issues.

Don’t take it lightly if you have oral ulcers. If you have any doubts, you should go to the hospital for examination in time. If necessary, perform pathological examination to confirm the diagnosis and provide corresponding treatment. Don't be careless and delay treatment.

15 Simple Recipes for Ulcer Treatment

Eggs: Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix them into a paste. Put an appropriate amount of mung beans in a clay pot and soak them in cold water for more than ten minutes. Put them on the fire and boil them for about 1.5 minutes. (It is not advisable to cook for a long time). At this time, the mung beans are not yet ripe. Take the mung bean water and brew the frangipani and drink it once a day in the morning and evening. It is effective in treating oral ulcers.

Liushen Pills: Take 1 Liushen Pill (30 pills) and crush it into powder, add 2 ml of cold boiled water and soak it into a thin paste for later use. Clean the patient's mouth before use, then use a slender cotton swab dipped in Liushen Pill liquid and apply it on the ulcer surface, preferably 1 to 15 minutes before meals, 3 times a day, and once before going to bed. Generally, the analgesic effect can be achieved within 5 minutes of administration. Small ulcers can be cured in 1 or 2 days, and larger ulcers can be cured in 5 days.

Yunnan: Use Yunnan Baiyao for external application on oral ulcer wounds, twice a day, and it usually heals in 2 to 3 days.

Whole-fat milk powder: Use whole-fat milk powder, 2 to 3 times a day, one tablespoon each time, add a little sugar, and drink with boiling water. The effect is better if you drink it before going to bed at night. Usually ulcer symptoms disappear within 2 days.

Watermelon: Take half of the watermelon, scoop out the pulp, squeeze out the juice, hold the juice in your mouth, swallow it after about 2 to 3 minutes, then take new melon juice, repeat several times.

Vitamin C: Crush 1~2 vitamin C tablets, apply on the ulcer surface, close your mouth for a moment, 2 times a day.

Cimetidine: Grind 1 to 2 tablets of cimetidine into fine powder, dip a cotton swab into the powder and apply it on the ulcer surface. Do not drink water within 10 minutes, twice a day.

Liuwei Dihuang Pills: Take Liuwei Dihuang Pills orally 2 to 3 times a day, 6 to 8 grams each time.

Strong tea: my country's Ming Dynasty Pharmacopoeia "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "Tea is bitter and cold, and can best reduce fire... When fire falls, the upper part will be clear." According to research, tea contains tannins, which have astringent effects. , Gargling with strong tea can promote the healing of oral ulcers.

Gentamicin: Dip a sterile cotton swab into 2ml of gentamicin 40,000 units for injection and lightly apply it on the ulcerated surface of the mouth, and then apply it again after a few minutes, 4 times a day, that is, three meals a day After rinsing your mouth and before going to bed, apply the medicinal solution. It usually heals in 2 to 3 days.

Tomatoes: Hold tomato juice in your mouth for several minutes at a time, several times a day.

Persimmon frost: Take persimmon frost from persimmon cakes and drink it with boiling water or add it to porridge.

Panana leaves: Pick an appropriate amount of fresh banana leaves, roast them over fire and apply them on the oral ulcers, 2 to 3 times a day.

95% ethanol: Dip a cotton swab into 95% ethanol, gently press the oral ulcer point, and gently turn the cotton swab to remove the corrupt tissue on the ulcer surface, 2 to 3 times a day, 20 to 30 seconds each time .

To treat oral ulcers, most of them heal within 2-3 days

Chinese medicine prescription for clearing fire: 5g licorice, 5g Amomum villosum, 10g bamboo leaves, 10g Phellodendron, add 3-4 bowls of water and fry until one bowl Then add a little water and continue to fry, and then repeat until it reaches about a bowl, and then you can take it. Drink the medicine in two doses, once in the morning and once in the evening.

Food therapy for oral ulcers

Honey juice gargling method: 10% honey juice can be used to gargle, which can reduce inflammation, relieve pain and promote cell regeneration.

Honey therapy: Rinse your mouth clean, then use a sterilized cotton swab to apply honey to the ulcer surface. Do not eat or drink after applying. After about 15 minutes, you can swallow the honey with your saliva, and then continue to apply it. You can apply it several times a day.

Zinc sulfate therapy: Take zinc sulfate tablets or 12% zinc sulfate syrup, 40-80 mg each time for adults, 3 times a day, usually 5-7 days to recover.

Agaric therapy: Take 10 grams each of white fungus, black fungus, and hawthorn, boil it in water, drink soup and eat the fungus, 1-2 times a day, to treat oral ulcers.

Cocoa therapy: Mix cocoa powder and honey into a paste, swallow it frequently, several times a day to treat oral inflammation and ulcers.

Cabbage root therapy: Take 60 grams of cabbage root, 15 grams of garlic sprouts, and 10 jujubes, decoct them in water, and take them 1 or 2 times a day to treat oral ulcers.

Rapeseed therapy: Take 30 grams of white radish seeds, 30 grams of mustard seeds, and 15 grams of scallions, mash them together, and stick them on the soles of the feet, once a day, to treat oral ulcers.

Apple therapy: Cut an apple (a pear is also acceptable) into slices and place it in a container. Add cold water (covering the apple or pear to be cooked) and heat it until it boils. Wait for it to cool down slightly before adding it to the wine. Hold them together in your mouth for a while and then eat them. Use them for a few days to cure the disease.

Walnut shell therapy: Boil 30-50 grams of walnuts in water twice and take it once in the morning and once in the evening.

Oral ulcers may hide various diseases and must be investigated carefully if they do not heal for three weeks.

Almost everyone has suffered from small ulcers in the mouth, most of which are caused by trauma. Professor Scully from the Eastman Dental Institute of the University of London pointed out that if the oral ulcer lasts for 3 weeks and does not heal, the cause must be found.

About 20% of the population suffers from common recurrent oral ulcers, which are round or oval in shape and have clear boundaries. 80% of patients have ulcers with a diameter of less than 5 mm, which take 7 to 14 days to heal. Larger ulcers are rare and require weeks or months to heal, leaving scars. In addition, there are also classified herpetic ulcers, which require 1 month to heal.

According to Japan's "Medical Tribune" (June 7, 2001), the cause of oral ulcers is unknown, and the causes of some patients are related to stress, trauma, smoking cessation, menstruation, and food allergies. There is no special examination method, and diagnosis can only rely on typical symptoms and disease history. However, differential diagnosis must not be ignored for this reason. In addition to iron, folic acid, and VitB12 deficiencies, immune disorders such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease, HIV infection, and neutropenia should also be considered. In addition, systemic diseases and skin diseases such as leukemia, lupus erythematosus, and Behcet's disease (see picture) should also be excluded. Anticancer and antithyroid drugs may also produce mouth sores.

Single chronic ulcer should be suspected of oral cancer. Oral ulcers may also appear as accompanying symptoms in children with periodic fever, pharyngitis, hand, foot and mouth disease and infectious mononucleosis.

Professor Scully pointed out that oral ulcers can be treated with chlorhexidine or oral hydrocortisone sugar-coated tablets, and triamcinolone ointment applied 4 times a day. If symptoms do not improve, systemic corticosteroids should be considered.

There are three types of oral ulcers

Clinically they are divided into three types: recurrent mild oral ulcers, recurrent stomatitis oral ulcers, and recurrent necrotizing periadenitis.

Vitamin can treat oral ulcers

Whether it is a single or chronic oral ulcer, vitamin B complex such as vitamin B2 and B6 are effective. Some people even had oral ulcers disappear completely after just one night of taking B complex.

Insufficient vitamin B2 can cause angular stomatitis, eye congestion, anal ulcers, etc., especially symptoms on the skin and mucous membranes. Vitamin B6 is related to fat metabolism. Insufficient B6 can cause seborrheic dermatitis. In addition, pantothenic acid and biotin and other B vitamins (except B1) are also helpful in preventing and treating oral ulcers under the mutual influence.

Why do oral ulcers recur?

Why do oral ulcers recur? The cause is not yet clear, but there are many factors that can directly lead to the occurrence of oral ulcers: Bacteria , viruses and other microbial infections; malnutrition, vitamin deficiency; the impact of digestive system diseases such as gastrointestinal ulcer inflammation, constipation, diarrhea, etc.; trace element deficiencies, such as iron, folic acid, B12, zinc, etc.; endocrine disorders; mental and neurological factors , such as work fatigue, mental stress fluctuations, neurological disorders, etc.

Some women will have oral ulcers during or before and after menstruation. Medication can only temporarily relieve them. The pain will still appear when they menstruate next month. At the same time, they are often accompanied by oral ulcers. Troubling symptoms such as dryness, irritability, irritability, and dry and hard stools. Clinical studies have found that oral ulcers during menstruation are mainly caused by the increase in progesterone levels and the decrease in estrogen (progesterone, etc.) levels in the body.

Oral ulcers are common and dangerous.

Oral ulcers are a common symptom in daily life, and a person will encounter them more or less in his life. Usually, oral ulcers can heal on their own by resting, adjusting their diet, and keeping their bowels smooth. Some patients only need local medication or a few Chinese medicines to heal. Generally, there will be no serious adverse consequences for the whole body.

However, if one or several oral ulcers recur or even come one after another, are unbearably painful or are accompanied by ulcers in other parts of the body (such as vulvar ulcers), you should pay great attention to it, because this kind of recurrent ulcer is likely to be Warning signs of Behcet's disease, an immune disease.

Behcet's disease is also called Behcet's syndrome or eye, mouth, and genital syndrome. Clinically, the triad of oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and iridocyclitis is more common. The eye symptoms are diverse and can include blurred vision, vision loss, eyeball pain, photophobia, tearing, foreign body sensation, and floaters. Severe cases can lead to blindness. In addition, there are post-pinhole reaction and so on. If you lack an overall understanding of the disease, you may describe each symptom to doctors from different specialties when seeking medical treatment. This often leads to a situation of "treating the head if you have a headache, and treating the feet if you feel pain", and the opportunity to receive the best treatment plan will be lost.

Beh?et's disease has been around since ancient times. It can occur in both men and women. It can occur at all ages, but is more common after the age of 35. Its occurrence and development are closely related to abnormal immune function. Traditional Chinese medicine calls it "fox confusion" and points out that "erosion in the throat is confusion, and erosion in the yin is fox". The occurrence of this disease is closely related to liver and kidney deficiency, qi and yin deficiency, exogenous dampness and heat, etc. Over time, dampness and heat compete with qi and blood, and dampness, poison, and stasis are cemented with each other, causing the disease to relapse and be delayed and difficult to recover.

For many years, based on the traditional theory and clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine, the acute attack and remission phases of Beh?et's disease have been treated with treatments such as clearing away heat and detoxifying, clearing away dampness and heat, detoxifying and unblocking the pulse, and Treatment methods such as replenishing qi and yin, tonifying the liver and kidneys, etc. have shown that traditional Chinese medicine can not only control the recurrence of ulcers, but also regulate immune function.

In addition, according to the characteristics of small lesions and shallow lesions of the disease, use Xi Lei Powder, Bing Bo Powder, Phellodendron Cortex and Asarum powder for local blowing and application, and decoction of honeysuckle, licorice, etc. to rinse the mouth. Decoction of chrysanthemum, kochia, sophora flavescens and other decoctions can be used for sitz bath and fumigation. Clinical practice has proven that when Chinese medicines are used externally or internally to treat Behcet's disease, the frequency, number of ulcers, and pain intensity can be relieved in about a month. Continuing to treat Beh?et's disease with Chinese medicines for several months can further control the condition.

In addition to drug treatment, you should also pay attention to oral hygiene, eat more vegetables and fruits, eat less grilled, fried and greasy foods, and avoid spicy and hot foods such as peppers, onions, ginger, and garlic. , cigarettes, alcohol, mutton, etc. Avoid fatigue and keep a happy mood and smooth bowel movements.

Lack of iron and zinc in the body can also lead to ulcers

Oral ulcers are the most common disease of the oral mucosa. Its incidence is second only to dental caries and periodontal disease among oral diseases. Occupy third place.

Lack of iron and zinc in the body can also cause ulcers.

Recurrent oral ulcers are polygenic genetic diseases. When the body suffers from gastrointestinal dysfunction, menstrual disorders, lack of trace elements such as iron and zinc, mental stress, fatigue or colds, oral ulcers will be induced, so vitamin B2 treatment alone is ineffective. Currently, there is no cure for this disease.

If you suffer from oral ulcers, you can eat more fresh foods rich in vitamins, protein, and fiber, pay attention to a balance between work and rest, and remove predisposing factors to reduce recurrence.

Stay away from oral ulcers in summer

Oral ulcers are a very common problem among modern people. Most people think that summer makes people more angry and prone to ulcers, but what is the real cause of oral ulcers? Woolen cloth? Doctors said that the causes of oral ulcers are nothing more than "strong heart fire", "heat accumulation in the spleen and stomach" and other factors. In addition to drug treatment, medicated diet therapy is also effective.

Oral ulcers tend to occur in young and middle-aged people, and they occur all year round, especially in summer when the days are long and the nights are short, the temperature rises, people go to bed late and stay up late, and modern people are accustomed to eating greasy barbecue food. Food makes oral ulcers more likely to occur in hot constitutions.

In traditional Chinese medicine, there are several types of oral ulcers: "strong heart fire", "heat accumulation in the spleen and stomach", "yin deficiency and strong fire", "deficiency of the spleen and stomach" and "cold in the liver invading the stomach". , in addition to drug treatment, you can also use medication and diet therapy.

For those with strong heart fire or accumulated heat in the spleen and stomach, you can treat it with bamboo leaf porridge, which is made with eight coins of fresh bamboo leaves, one liang of gypsum, two liang of rice, and an appropriate amount of sugar. For those with yin deficiency and excessive fire, you can treat it with Erdong porridge. It is made with three qian of Ophiopogon japonicus, three qian of Asparagus asparagus, three qian of Xuan Ginseng, 2 liang of rice and appropriate amount of rock sugar. If the spleen and stomach are deficient, you can use Lizhong porridge. The ingredients are Codonopsis root, dried ginger, licorice root, Poria cocos and glutinous rice brown sugar. made.

However, in addition to drug treatment and dietary therapy, to avoid oral ulcers, you still need to pay attention to your daily living habits. Avoid spicy, barbecued, fried, and greasy foods, drink more boiled water, and eat more vegetables. , keep the stool smooth and avoid constipation; for severe aphtha, you can switch to a soft or semi-liquid diet.

Three Notes on the Prevention and Treatment of Oral Ulcers◆Oral ulcers are not necessarily caused by internal heat

When encountering oral ulcers, most people treat them as “excessive internal heat”, drinking herbal tea and taking anti-inflammatory drugs , this approach is one-sided.

The cause of oral ulcers is generally unknown. There are many factors related to the disease. Psychological and social factors, genetic factors, infectious factors, nutritional deficiencies, etc. can all induce ulcers. In these cases, drinking herbal tea cannot solve the problem.

◆Excessive diet can cause oral ulcers

Urban people’s excessive diet is also related to the occurrence of oral ulcers. Take rice as an example. The skin contains vitamin B2 and the trace element zinc. However, in order to make the rice look white and taste good, rice processors remove the surface layer of the rice, resulting in the loss of the above nutrients. If you eat too much of this rice, you will be deficient. These nutrients are prone to oral ulcers. Therefore, doctors remind people to eat more fruits and vegetables and supplement vitamin B2 and zinc gluconate.

◆Recurrent ulcers are related to immunity

For common recurrent oral ulcers, most people usually use topical drugs to treat them. Since the cause is not targeted, even if they are temporarily effective, they will recur in the future. attack.

Recurrent oral ulcers are closely related to immunity. Some patients present with immune deficiency, while others present with autoimmune disorders. In addition, anemia, partial eclipse, indigestion, diarrhea, fever, excessive fatigue, high work pressure, changes in the menstrual cycle, etc. are also predisposing factors. As one or more factors become active, alternate, and overlap, the body's immunity will decrease and immune function will become disordered, resulting in frequent oral ulcers. (Lu Wenjie)