Aphthous ulcer is a common ulcerative & inflammatory condition of the oral cavity, that is represented as small recurrent, painful, round or ovoid ulcers with well-defined erythematous margins, like a halo with or without a central yellow or grey floor.
Aphthous erosions occur generally in the oral cavity or on the tongue. They disappear in 7-10 days.
Trigger & Causes:
• Gastric disturbances
• Local trauma due to ill-fitting dentures or sharp tooth
• Vitamin deficiency especially B complex, C and minerals like zinc
• Poor oral hygiene
• Certain drugs like antibiotics
• Tobacco- Oral / Smoking
• Allergy to local application like toothpaste / toothpowder
• Low immunity in any illness
• Certain fevers like enteric fever
• Emotional stress
• In females as PMS
Sufferings Signs & Symptoms:
• Small, shallow or deep erosive lesions in the oral cavity or on the tongue
• Single or multiple lesions in local or in spread
• Increased or reduced salivation
• Burning pain on touch and contact with food/drink
• Sensitive to touch and contact
• Base of ulcer may be greyish, white or yellowish in color
• May or may not bleed
• Bad foul breath
• Increased body temperature / fever due to secondary/primary infections
Risk & Complications:
People with chronic liver disorders, vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders like diabetes or poor health habits of tobacco may increase the risk of suffering and also complicate further.
Management:
Aphthous can be prevented and well managed with conservative treatment, lifestyle modification and alternative holistic therapies.
Therapeutic management for oral Aphthous is broadly covered under 5 approaches: antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, symptomatic, immune modulatory and alternative-holistic medicines.
Conservative Management:
Antibiotics: Relevant antibiotics to fight the causative infection
Anti-inflammatory/ oral application: To reduce pain and inflammation
Symptomatic: To treat any other associated symptoms
Immune Modulator: To combat recurrent aphthous due to weak immunity and sensitive allergic reactions
Alternative medicine: To treat holistically the root cause without any adverse effects of the medicines.
Lifestyle Management:
Dietary approach: Avoid hot & spicy food, sweets and additives. Eat more of fruits & vegetables rich in vitamin C, B12, Folic acids and minerals like zinc, magnesium. Eat bland food during the acute sufferings.
Fruit juices: oranges, sweet lime, lime, lemon, strawberries, grape fruits, gooseberries, tangerines, etc.
Vegetable soups: tomatoes, green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, etc.
Boiled vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes.
Dairy products: yoghurt, butter milk, milk, etc.
Lifestyle Approach: lifestyle management plays an important role on managing the sufferings. Maintain oral hygiene, drink plenty of water, avoid oral tobacco and smoking, avoid eat/drink too hot food. During the acute suffering, eat liquid/semi-solid food.
Alternative Medicine:
Homeopathy is a choice of alternative medicine to treat acute & chronic recurrent aphthous ulcers with variations of signs and symptoms. The homeopathic remedy is selected on the basis of individualization of the symptoms that each patient suffers.
Major symptoms to consider are; ulcers in oral cavity or on tongue, with or without stomatitis (inflammation of oral mucous membrane), burning pain, teeth imprints on tongue, stool not clear or loose stools, pain in root of tongue during swallowing, dryness of mouth, excessive salivation, feverish, etc.
Borax, Merc Sol, Ac Nit, Ac Mur, Nux Vom, Hydrastis, Condurango, Antim C, Arsenic Alb, etc are the first choice of medicine according to the symptomology.
Treat well, stay safe and stay healthy.
Dr Harkirat S Wilkhoo
Specialist Homeopath
Specialist Lifestyle Medicine
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