ORAL ULCERS
Description
Oral ulcers are single or multiple 1-15mm size painful ulcers surrounded by erythematous mucosa occurring repeatedly anywhere in the oral mucosa i.e lip, tongue, soft palate or oropharynx. It usually heals in 1-2 weeks’ time. Oral ulcers are very common, occurring in association with many diseases and by many different mechanisms, but usually there is no serious underlying cause.
Causes
The two most common causes of oral ulcers are
• local trauma caused by sharp objects
• Aphthous stomatitis (canker sores), a condition characterized by recurrent formation of oral ulcers for largely unknown reasons.
Symptoms
Oral ulcers often cause pain and discomfort. They may form individually or multiple ulcers may appear at the
Description
Oral ulcers are single or multiple 1-15mm size painful ulcers surrounded by erythematous mucosa occurring repeatedly anywhere in the oral mucosa i.e lip, tongue, soft palate or oropharynx. It usually heals in 1-2 weeks’ time. Oral ulcers are very common, occurring in association with many diseases and by many different mechanisms, but usually there is no serious underlying cause.
Causes
The two most common causes of oral ulcers are
• local trauma caused by sharp objects
• Aphthous stomatitis (canker sores), a condition characterized by recurrent formation of oral ulcers for largely unknown reasons.
Symptoms
Oral ulcers often cause pain and discomfort. They may form individually or multiple ulcers may appear at the