Mouth ulcers - please help

[londongirl993]

I’ve been suffering from painful mouth ulcers for the best part of nearly 6 months now. After numerous calls/ visits to the GP they have finally referred me to a maxillofacial surgeon as an urgent case.

In the meantime, what can I do to help sooth the pain? The ulcers are on the inside of my lip: they’re swollen, inflamed, red... the pain is horrible and it’s really getting me down.

I’ve tried:

• Bonjela: find it numbs it for a few minutes then does nothing.
• Iglu: same as Bonjela
• Difflam mouthwash: again, helped for a few minutes then just did nothing
• Steroid mouthwash: might have helped with the inflammation but no instant pain relief.
• Salt water rinses: stings and feels like it should help but don’t really think it does.

I am in a dire state and feel so miserable. I am glad I’ve been referred (but also a bit scared too), but need a solution that’s going to provide instant pain relief.

Thank you in advance!

Try lysine and a b vitamin. Life changing here. Actually life changing.

I've always found Gengigel to be very good:

www.amazon.co.uk/Gengigel-Clinically-Proven-Relief-Healing/dp/B002K5SWA8

It forms a sort of barrier over the top of the ulcer (like a liquid plaster) which lasts for about 30 mins - enough time to eat a meal or brush your teeth.

My dentist recommended it years ago when I had problems with my wisdom teeth. It's good for ulcers too though.

Anbesol gel that you can get for teething babies works wonders for me - ulcers generally go within 24 hours. It has lidocaine in - prob a teeny amount but it helps! I'm

Kenalog in orabase. It's a steroid gel- used to be called adcortyl. I get mine from New Zealand pharmacy online. I have permanent mouth ulcers and have been checked for everything going, so I know it's nothing sinister but they really get to me sometimes.

Another option is hydrocortisone tablets which you stick on the ulcers. Big faff and hard to get right, but effective.

Also possibly try changing toothpaste; lot of people think toothpaste with sodium laureth sulphate in makes things worse. I use the really foul corsidyl one, which does get bearable and seems to help.

Oh yes also soluble aspirin in warm water as a mouth rinse.

My mouth ulcers, my son's and my FIL's were all solved by switching to original Sensodyne toothpaste. If I use any other kind of toothpaste I get an ulcer within a day or two.

Some good advice above. I get quite a few, I find Corsodyl zaps mine but that sounds horrible.

Might seem like a random question but go with me - any trouble with your bowels at all?

Can be a symptom of coeliac disease.

Difflam, bonjela and igloo are all topical numbing agents. They will only numb for a few minutes, they will not heal the ulcers. Steroid mouthrinses will heal but not provide instant pain relief, so you normally would need a combination of difflam and steroid mouthrinses.

Has your GP done any bloods? Often ulcers are caused by deficiencies. Can also be caused by GI problems such as IBD.

Any new fillings? Any new medications you've started?

Some people get mouth ulcers as a reaction to SLS or cinnamon flavouring in toothpastes. Its worth swapping to an SLS free toothpaste. Some people get them as a reaction to certain flavourings/preservatives

Some people are more prone to them, stress can cause them as well as being generally run down. However as its only been going on for 6 months I'd bet its more likely to be deficiency related

Do the ulcers coincide with using a new toothpaste? I get ulcers inside my lips from Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). Maybe check the ingredients in your toothpaste and see if that makes a difference. Poor you!

Take a really good multivitamin and try and loads of green veg and reduce your sugar intake too

How's your diet in general?

If you aren't already take very large amounts of B12. It's not possible to take too much, it comes out in urine. Ulcers are common in a deficiency and it's possible to have deficiency symptoms way above what the UK consider to be a normal level. UK lowest normal threshold is something like 182 (range of 182 to 900 odd), symptoms of deficiency can often be found still at 500 and other countries lowest normal level is much higher than the UK).

Low b12 and iron gives me huge ulcers. Like the size of pennies. Sometimes when it's that bad I get them in my throat it's awful. Corsodyl mouthwash is good. But also I pay for a b12 injection - lots of asthetic practicioners do it for around £30. Well worth it imo. It's painful, I know.

You should try Frador is a liquid that covers ulcers and stops the pain and doesn't run off quickly also Folic Acid is good for stopping ulcers.

This used to be me until I cut out SLS free toothpastes!!!! I was in so much pain with them and it changed my life when I discovered this. Check the ingredients on your toothpaste and try one which is free of SLS? Google it

As pp mentioned could be low iron and/or B12. Solvable solpadeine max to gargle and rinse if really bad. You may not need to swallow any and can keep the glassful going all day, just swilling around without actually drinking it

I suffer with mouth ulcers and cold sores - lysine and Vitamin B keep them at bay. That said - one week after the Pfizer jab I have both in abundance - huge cold sore and ulcers all over the roof of my mouth.

Is there a ridge in your teeth where you are getting the ulcers? I suffered terribly for 10 years with ulcers- referred to specialists, had loads of blood tests done and only after having braces have they finally gone- no one suggested that could be a reason.
If it is buy some dental wax and cover your teeth behind the ulcer with it. Rinse with salt water after meals to neutralise everything in there if you can’t brush your teeth. If you are at the end of your tether and can bear the pain (I would get enormous ones and be in tears after days of not being able to eat/ sleep and taking with a lisp) swill vodka round it. It hurts like hell and is horrific but it gives you at least an hour of pain relief.

Try changing your toothpaste. I can't use any white or striped toothpaste - I had huge ulcers several times a year since I was a kid until a couple of years ago when someone told me it was something (SLS I think from memory) in some toothpastes.

Colgate blue gel is the only one I use now and no more ulcers.

You need the more expensive BONJELLA that creates a seal over the ulcer. Temp relief.

I suffer terribly from tongue and mouth ulcers. I'm glad you've a referral.
I'm trying to up my iron intake and eat Bananas I desperation of two possible 'cures'.

I get them when my diet is poor (not enough water, green veg, too much sugar and salt)
Or, when I'm very stressed and run down

Could you try working on either of those areas more?

I hope you find a solution and that your GP and maxofacial surgeon look at the possibility that these are caused by an allergy / intolerance and / or vitamin deficiency.

I would stop toothpaste, gluten, sugar, take a high does vitamin C, zinc, D3/K2, magnesium and a multi B vitamin.

Your body is telling you that something is wrong.

I get ferocious ulcers whenever I eat gluten (about 24 hours later)

Don't go in and start taking b12, iron, zinc and folate. You need bloods to assess you levels

If any of the above levels are low even if within normal limits it would be worth supplementing them. However its important to get the bloods first so that they are accurate and you know whats causing it. If it happens again you won't necessarily know the cause if you just throw everything at it