General Practitioner Questions Oral ulcers

Mouth Ulcers Keep Coming Back

Every month or so I usually get a mouth ulcer. I don’t eat a lot of foods with acid in it, and they usually go away within about a week. But why do they keep coming back?

Female | 17 years old

10 Answers

GeneralPractitionerOralulcers
Hi there,

As I can't see the ulcers, I can only go by what you state. It sounds like a possible case of HSV-1. Herpes simplex 1 cold sores occur and possibly reoccur. Visit your dentist or family physician to confirm. Possibly a swab can be taken for a culture test.
Hope this helps.
You are talking about fever blisters or aphthous ulcers. I've heard that they are related to stress, caffeine, chocolate and nuts.
"Mouth ulcers can sometimes be caused by certain medical conditions, such as: viral infections – including the cold sore virus." It can be triggered by sudden changes in temperature or stress. Avoid foods that can either trigger or worsen symptoms, keep your mouth clean with daily brushing and flossing, avoid triggers known to cause outbreaks in the past. Check with your Dentist or Physician if symptoms persist as there are medications that can help alleviate your discomfort.
Mouth ulcers are often caused by a viral infection. In a sense they are like a cold sore but inside your mouth. They recur in times of stress as well as times of stressed body including sickness and over exercise. There is a small likelihood that this is systemic which can be verified through blood testing.
Sometimes stress can cause mouth ulcers. Also some vitamin deficiencies can cause ulcers.
My first thought is if the sores might be connected to your menstrual cycle. Or is there any coincidence with stress? There are prescription medications that may help you. The location of the sores are also important in order to know if we are dealing with a recurrent herpes type virus, or aphthous ulcers, typically known as cold sores.
These are called recurrent aphthous ulcers and can be the result of metabolic and endocrine secretions which are best ferreted out by an oral swab and microbial examination binaural in a pathology lab. Then, the best medication can be described and prescribed to treat a broad spectrum from monilial to bacterial causes as well as varro.
That could be a sign that you are run down, over stressed, or vitamin deficient. Listen to your body. Get 7-8 hours of sleep; eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and take a multivitamin daily; try to control the stress in your life. If you are in school, that might be difficult. Apthous ulcers are very common in students, especially around exam time. Try relaxation techniques, such as yoga or transcendental meditation.
It sounds like the ulcerations in your mouth are recurrent aphta. They occur when the epithelium, the top layer of the lining of your mouth, has thinned. It could be caused by an irritant like acidic food or stress of any sort or a minor injury to the lining of your mouth. The defense mechanism of your body is making some defense cells look out of the thinning area and cause the pain, which is inflammatory so-called response. I am trying to explain this process in simple language. Proper treatment that should cover the affected area should be done in the dental office. Laser is one of the few methods of treatment.
This usually is the herpes virus expressing itself. While you are menstruating, your immune system is weakened and the virus reawakens. You can get some ozonated olive oil and apply that as soon as you feel it start. Ozone can kill the virus and stimulate your immune system.