Small, painful sores inside the mouth — usually harmless and short-lived, though frequent ulcers are worth checking.
Mouth ulcers are small, painful sores that appear on the soft tissue inside the mouth. Most are what's called aphthous ulcers — harmless, though uncomfortable, and typically healing on their own within one to two weeks without leaving a scar.
Common triggers include minor injury from biting the cheek or a rough tooth surface, certain acidic or spicy foods, stress, and hormonal changes. Some people are simply more prone to recurrent ulcers than others for reasons that aren't always clear.
Most ulcers need no specific treatment beyond time and avoiding irritating foods while healing, though a salt water rinse can ease discomfort. Ulcers that are unusually large, don't heal within two to three weeks, or recur very frequently are worth having checked to rule out other causes.
See our dentist if: an ulcer lasts longer than two weeks or you get them very frequently — worth a check to rule out other causes.
