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Original poster

Mouth ulcer help

38 replies

isitmytime · 14/08/2025 17:35

What’s your tried and tested treatment/cure for mouth ulcers?
I have the biggest one I’ve ever seen right on the tip of my tongue and it’s so painful. I sound like I have a speech impediment and it keeps pressing/catching on my teeth.
eating and drinking is also sore, even water brings tears to my eyes

OP posts:
xsquared · 14/08/2025 17:53

I currently have one on the inside of my lower lip, and a dab of Bonjela relieves it for a bit.

Tricky if it's on the tip of your tongue I guess.

OSTMusTisNT · 14/08/2025 18:01

Anbesol liquid, have to buy it from a chemist though in UK. I find it works much better than bonjela and doesn't have a gaggy gloopy texture.

(Not to be confused with anusol, don't put that on your tongue!)

Original poster
isitmytime · 14/08/2025 18:23

I tried anbesol (definitely not putting anusol on my tongue!) and I think it’s burnt the skin round the ulcer 😂 plus it made my mouth extra watery and washed it off!
I’ve just taken paracetamol in the hope it does something and I can eat my tea.
picture of the monster before I angered it with the anusol

Mouth ulcer help
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Lollygaggle · 14/08/2025 18:23

How often are you getting mouth ulcers ? If you are getting them regularly or they take longer than two weeks to heal go and see your dentist .

They can be caused by hundreds of different things from anaemia and b12 deficiency to reactions to Sls in toothpaste to many other causes . Treatment depends on what is causing them although warm salty water encourages most to heal . Your dentist may decide to send you for blood tests etc if it’s something you suffer from regularly or if they last longer than two weeks .

A dentist can also prescribe sprays etc that will help larger ulcers to heal up.

IsSheOkayOrWhat · 14/08/2025 18:28

You need a product called iglu…. It is the best thing I’ve ever used. White tube and a blue lid. Bongela and salt water don’t work. I suffer with ulcers all the time, they like to all show up at once. Let me know how you get on. It’s strange to start as it coast the ulcer but it’s amazing stuff I promise.

Dabberlocks · 14/08/2025 18:36

Bonjela. Lots of Bonjela.

Idontknowhatnametochoose · 14/08/2025 18:38

Bongela and lots of rinsing with salty water. I rinse multiple times a day, trust me it works.

MrsPositivity1 · 14/08/2025 18:50

Good god, that’s huge. You must be in agony. Iglu, as previously suggested is my go to

ForTheLoveOfGrace · 14/08/2025 18:51

I’ve suffer from these. In fact I’ve got one right now. I’ve had one that big and I think it was two that formed into one big one.

My go to is Bongela Complete + it forms a seal over the top. It hurts like a son of b*tch but really works.

Failing that Orajel mouth gel is great for numbing.

Lots of mash potato and vanilla ice cream required.

Really hope it helps and goes quickly for you. Good luck!

HappyLion2021 · 14/08/2025 18:51

You have my sympathy. There is very little you can do - anything that’s ever been any help is no longer available (adcortyl in orabase, or Boots used to make patches that were almost like a plaster and they were great). Paracetamol is unlikely to be strong enough to help, so I would take co-codamol just so that you can eat and sleep. Drink plenty, and ice cold water is quite soothing. It’s awful if you’re one of those people for whom there’s no obvious cause and you just have to deal with pain.

BIWI · 14/08/2025 18:52

iglu is great. Personally I sometimes think that Bonjela makes them worse.

Alternatively/in addition, get some dispersible aspirin; dissolve one and swish it round your mouth.

Rainallnight · 14/08/2025 19:01

HappyLion2021 · 14/08/2025 18:51

You have my sympathy. There is very little you can do - anything that’s ever been any help is no longer available (adcortyl in orabase, or Boots used to make patches that were almost like a plaster and they were great). Paracetamol is unlikely to be strong enough to help, so I would take co-codamol just so that you can eat and sleep. Drink plenty, and ice cold water is quite soothing. It’s awful if you’re one of those people for whom there’s no obvious cause and you just have to deal with pain.

I am also gutted by the loss of adcortyl in Orabase.

Some chemists still do cortisone lozenges which taste vile but do the job

Ferretedaway · 14/08/2025 19:01

Ouch that must be so painful. I have recurring mouth ulcers (no cause can be found) and dental hospital have prescribed soluble steroid tablets to use as a mouthwash. It cuts the lift of the blessed things down from about 10 days to 1 or 2 and stops them developing into big ones. Also Oracort ointment which is like a thick paste to use at bedtime. If it’s a one off I’d try iglu but for anyone getting recurring ones a blood test to make sure it’s not due to something like anaemia , bowel issues and if they’re clear a referral to an oral surgeon to get something to stop the ulcers in their tracks. Tongue ones are the absolute worst painwisec

Original poster
isitmytime · 14/08/2025 19:06

Thanks all!
I’ll get some iglu to try tomorrow and hopefully that works as well as it has for others. I do think this monster possibly started as 2smaller ones and decided to merge. It’s bloody agony and I’m not usually this much of a wimp 😂 I don’t get ulcers often at all I think this is from eating a filo pastry thing and a shard of pastry stabbed me

Ive been using corsydil mouthwash but I’ll try salt rinsing too.
The worst thing is not knowing where to put my tongue when it’s in my mouth😂

OP posts:
DancingFerret · 14/08/2025 19:07

TCP applied three times a day directly to the ulcer (I use a cotton bud) usually works for me.

erinaceus · 14/08/2025 19:09

I usually dab a few grains of neat salt on them (rather than salt rinsing). This is painful but dries them up fast IME.

Original poster
isitmytime · 14/08/2025 19:15

Oh I can’t stand the smell of TCP it makes me gag I don’t think I could stand it near my face.

ill dab on salt once I’ve eaten.
paracetamol hasn’t touched it so i’ll do anything for a decent sleep.

I don’t think I’m anemic, I just donated blood this week and the iron levels were good.
might could be b12 related as I take PPI that can apparently cause issues with b12 absorption
I could just be generally run down and I work shifts so run on about 4hrs sleep per night. If it hangs about for too long I’ll get a dentist appointment…or at least I’ll try to.

OP posts:
Thelonelydonkey · 14/08/2025 19:19

You could order Kenalog in orabase from a online pharmacy - v similar to adcortyl in orabase.

kiwiblue · 14/08/2025 19:30

Oh gosh that looks awful, poor you. My husband gets them, he had his b12 tested but it was normal. My 8 year old son gets them too 😔. I have to look up this iglu stuff!! Husband swears by anbesol to numb it (although he shrieks when he puts it on) and I make my son do the salty rinse at least twice a day for at least a week and that does seem to make it heal faster.

Original poster
isitmytime · 14/08/2025 19:58

your poor son. I bet he coped better than I am!

iglu is on my shopping list. I’ll try salt and anbesol before bed and hopefully that does something.
it’s been years since I had an ulcer and never before on the tip of my tongue! I think that’s why it’s so annoying

OP posts:
IsSheOkayOrWhat · 14/08/2025 20:12

isitmytime · 14/08/2025 19:06

Thanks all!
I’ll get some iglu to try tomorrow and hopefully that works as well as it has for others. I do think this monster possibly started as 2smaller ones and decided to merge. It’s bloody agony and I’m not usually this much of a wimp 😂 I don’t get ulcers often at all I think this is from eating a filo pastry thing and a shard of pastry stabbed me

Ive been using corsydil mouthwash but I’ll try salt rinsing too.
The worst thing is not knowing where to put my tongue when it’s in my mouth😂

iglu- it doesn’t sting and coats the ulcer so you can drink and eat and most importantly talk…. Good luck. Dont out TCP on its burn, salt will sting! You need no more pain!!!! I promise it’ll work a treat.

NHSworker2025 · 14/08/2025 20:13

I have a monster one too, it’s so painful. Will be using all your advice. I don’t get them normally but also have cold sore so feeling sorry for myself

Taleasoldastimes · 14/08/2025 20:17

i had hand foot and mouth last year and had ones this size all over my mouth - I feel your pain.

the only thing that have some relief was difflam mouth rinse - but like an anesthetic.

also swishing fridge cold milk round my mouth was soothing.

hope it gets better soon.

Ponderingwindow · 14/08/2025 20:17

Alum
either dilute it and make a mouthwash or I just like to pat some of the powder on the spot. Try not to move your tongue around too much while it does its job because the instinct will be to start spitting it out. Works wonders.

Original poster
isitmytime · 14/08/2025 20:18

@NHSworker2025i feel your pain…literally.
you’ve just reminded me I had a cold sore a couple of weeks ago and thought I felt that well known tingle earlier….im hoping I was wrong. I’ll pick up some vitamins tomorrow too, I must be run down after all

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