When to worry about a mouth ulcer

[mrschunk22]

I get mouth ulcers when I'm run down or ill. I've got two at the moment which are absolutely savage. One on my cheek and one at the back of my throat. They are making me feel so unwell - headachey, tired, ear ache, swollen glands. I am using antiseptic mouthwash and paracetamol because they are in places where any gels etc would come off.

I showed dh and he said the one on my throat looks particularly nasty like tonsillitis. It isn't. I have had these ulcers all my life and it is definitely one of them just a particularly nasty one.

I'm wondering if it's still not better by next week I ought to see a doctor though as it's becoming really unmanageable now. In fairness I've only had it since the beginning of this week and they don't usually last long so hoping it'll be better by next week. Anyone have any suggestions?

If it has been there for longer than a month

Bless you. I get these. Horrid isn't it? Yes I'd leave it a week before seeing the GP.

Two things that really help me is Anbesol liquid. Hurts like crazy to apply but totally numbs the area for 3 hours. The other thing is to try switching to SLS free toothpaste, it can really aggravate ulcers.

Are you anaemic, op?

I was and also had the most horrifically huge and painful ones every few weeks- so bad my tongue would swell up and I couldn’t make myself understood. Awful.

I had blood tests which showed I was anaemic so put on high dose of iron which has maybe helped a bit- fewer ulcers than before but still not completely rid of them.

I used to get very painful mouth ulcers a lot. Then I started using Listerine twice a day, and now I rarely get them, and they are small when I do. (Other mouthwashes may be just as good for all I know, but I use Listerine).

Not anaemic as far as I know. I don't get them often but when I do they tend to wipe me out. I slept for 13 hours last night and still feel knackered today. It's crazy that a mouth ulcer can make you feel so bad.

I used to get huge mouth ulcers regularly that would last weeks at a time. So painful. I’d go to my GP but nothing helped other than Anbesol to numb the pain of those I could reach.
I went to my dentist when they were at their worst. He sent me to the dental hospital who then referred me to a hematologist. It turned out I was extremely low on vitamin B12. I had regular injections and now rarely (twice/three times a year) get mouth ulcers. When I do, it’s usually because I’ve accidentally bitten my gum.

It might be worth having your bloods checked just to rule out anemia or B12 issues.

It can also be connected to things like coeliac disease.

I found using a Sodium Laurel Suphate ( SLS)- free toothpaste really decrease the number of mouth ulcers I got.
Sensodyne is a common make.
Of course get bloods and a GP's check up first.

It could be infected? I had one once which was horrific . I got antibiotics for it in the end

No advice but I’m really suffering at the moment as well and it’s awful. Ulcers, swollen tongue, the lot. Really sore and can barely speak

Sympathy, it's horrible isn't it. I always feel rubbish and get earache with them too.

I've never found out what they are or how to stop them and so going to watch and see if anyone has any suggestions. I got hand foot and mouth from my toddler about a decade ago and seem to have had flare ups ever since. I figure it's just autoimmune whenever I'm run down.

Two things that got rid of mine - Colgate Peroxyl mouthwash and swishing Actimel around your mouth.

If you have had then for your whole life, they are most likely to be aphthous ulcers . Thi style of ulceration is not caused by a virus or a deficiency, its your body attacking itself. So if this is the case , the only thing you can do is supportive therapy - analgesics, soft food and you could use Corsodyl mouthwash. There are about 40 different types of mouth ulcers caused by multiple things. I would be trying to see your dentist - if you can get an appointment . They can record photographs of these that you have now , incase it happens again and you will need images to use for a referral to an Oral Med specialist. If these ulcers that you have are in a different place in your mouth from the usual sites, it could suggest that something else is causing them ie you have a virus. If an ulcer persists for more than 4 weeks, it needs urgent investigation - carcinoma . Good luck

Thanks this is all really helpful. I had a deep clean at the dentist earlier in the week. The ulcers were just starting then but were barely there. Since the appointment they have got absolutely huge and so much more painful. Im wondering if bacteria from the clean got in them somehow? Or maybe the process just irritated them. It was pretty harsh on my teeth and gums but didn't go near where the ulcers are.

Either way they are pissing me off now. Im so tired all the time and have had chronic headache and earache for the past 4 days. I am desperately hoping that they start getting better by the end of the weekend. Usually the pain subsides then they gradually shrink but right now they are as fiery as ever.

I genuinely felt less unwell when I had covid.

I get them all the time. I’m coeliac. Have you been checked for autoimmune diseases? Sufferers of those are more likely to get them.

Go to GP if not gone in a week. In the meantime gargle with warm salt water.

I had a mouthful a few weeks ago, all along one side of my tongue and pain stretching down to one side of my throat. I tried the orange gel you can get at the pharmacy for oral thrush, and that cleared it all up within three days.

Sending huge waves of sympathy OP (not very helpful sorry) as they are truly horrid.

I think I have had them triggered by dental work, so that may be a thing.

I seem to have had some success with Corsodyl. Some good advice on here about deficiencies as well. Good luck.

Absolutely agree with this. I used to get HUGE awful mouth ulcers constantly when I was younger. Switched to sodium laurel sulphate free toothpaste (sensodyne ones often are, but you have to check the ingredients) and the ulcers stopped. That was probably 12 years ago. No problems since.

Would also like to add that my biggest ones would often lasted 10-14 days, and would be so huge they left scars. I couldn't eat, or talk. I'd get glands up in my jaw and feel so unwell. I don't think there's much to worry about unless they don't heal for a few weeks, but unfortunately in the meantime they can be horrendous. Sympathies. But definitely try sodium laurel sulphate free toothpaste if you haven't OP, it's a game changer!!

Go and see a dentist.
I don't want to worry you but DH's mouth ulcer turned out to be cancer. It was spotted by his dentist who referred him to the head and neck dept at the hospital.
He's had an op and he's ok (for now), but it makes me very concerned these days when people talk about lingering ulcers.

@KnickerlessParsons sorry to hear this I hope your dp is ok now. This isn't lingering, it's been less than a week. It's just really painful. I will keep a close eye if there's no improvement after the weekend x

Aloclair mouthwash? I get it for my son it does the trick soothes them and they go faily fast

My DH had one that wouldn’t heal and I had a blister from hot food that was taking ages to go so he did some reading and we swapped to SLS free toothpaste and there was a huge improvement in 48 hours.