Mouth Ulcers Often Troubling You? You Might Be Lacking These Vitamins

Painful mouth ulcers, commonly known as aphthae, can significantly disrupt daily life, causing discomfort that intensifies with eating, drinking, or even brushing teeth. While small aphthae typically heal within one to two weeks without scarring, some individuals experience more severe or persistent issues.

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The sores in the mouth can be quite small, but due to the abundance of nerve endings in the oral mucosa, they often cause considerable discomfort. Discomfort particularly intensifies when eating, drinking, or brushing teeth, so even a minor mucosal injury can significantly complicate daily life.

These ulcers present as round or oval, painful lesions on the mucous membrane, often appearing on the inside of the lips, cheeks, or under the tongue. They usually have a whitish or yellowish center surrounded by a red border. It's important to distinguish aphthae from cold sores, which are caused by the herpes virus and are contagious, unlike aphthae.

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Ulcers in the oral mucosa typically have a whitish or yellowish center and a reddened edge, or resemble blisters that later burst.

Several factors can trigger mouth ulcers. Local trauma, such as a sharp tooth edge, biting the cheek lining, braces, or ill-fitting dentures, can cause injury. Certain ingredients in toothpaste and aggressive tooth brushing have also been implicated. Stress is another common contributing factor, and the mucous membrane can be further irritated by acidic, spicy, or hard foods, including large quantities of apples, plums, or tomatoes.

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People often call mouth ulcers "cold sores," although these are different conditions. Aphthae are not contagious, while cold sores are caused by the herpes virus, usually HSV-1.

Beyond external irritants, recurrent mouth ulcers can signal underlying nutritional deficiencies. Pharmacist Giedrė Stankevičienė explains that a lack of iron, vitamin B12, folate, zinc, or vitamin D can impact the health and regeneration of the oral mucosa. She advises that individuals experiencing frequent aphthae should consider blood tests to check for these deficiencies. A balanced diet rich in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, leafy greens, broccoli, legumes, nuts, and seeds is crucial for maintaining oral health.

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Recurrent mouth ulcers can be related to a deficiency in iron, vitamin B12, folate, as well as zinc or vitamin D.