Aphthae

What is aphthae?

Ulcers are small, painful sores that appear in the oral cavity. The wounds are round or oval in shape and covered by a yellowish membrane with a raised, red zone around it. The wounds usually measure 4-8 millimeters in diameter and they disappear on their own within 1-2 weeks.

Ulcers can occur on the tongue, the inside of the lips and elsewhere in the oral mucosa. Since they are painful, eating, talking and using your toothbrush can be uncomfortable.

Why do you get ulcers?

It is not yet known exactly why ulcers occurs, but there are indications that the problem may be hereditary. If you have a tendency to get an ulcer, it seems that several factors can act as triggers:

  • Stress: Many people get more frequent ulcers during periods of stress. This may be due to the fact that the immune system functions less well during such periods.
  • Trauma: Bite wounds or damage to the mucous membrane from, for example, the toothbrush, can trigger an ulcer.
  • Toothpaste: Toothpaste containing the soap ingredient sodium lauryl sulphate appears to trigger an ulcer in some people.
  • Reaction to foods: It seems that some people get more frequent ulcers when consuming, for example, chocolate, almonds, tomatoes, acidic drinks, etc.
  • Vitamin deficiency: Frequent outbreaks of AF can be caused by a lack of vitamin B, folic acid or iron.

Treatment of aphthae:

There is no cure for aphthae. Treatment that can be offered is therefore often based on products that are intended to relieve symptoms by forming a protective layer over the wound. If you often suffer from ulcers, you should try to find the triggering cause. This can reduce the frequency of outbreaks. Often the first step can be to switch to a toothpaste without the soap ingredient sodium lauryl sulphate – your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to make good recommendations here. Some suffer from particularly large and painful ulcers. In such cases, medical treatment can be attempted. Such treatment should only be carried out in consultation with a dentist or doctor.

Søk på krifa.no