Mouth ulcers normally heal without treatment within 1-2 weeks

Good oral hygiene should be maintained, and spicy/acidic/salty foods and drinks are best avoided as they may irritate existing ulcers.

However, they can be exquisitely painfyl, and there are many over the counter medicines which can help with the pain.

Gels like Anbesol, Bonjela, Campho-Phenique, Orabase B, Zilactin or Kanka, are readily available in drugstores. Some people find that such gels also accelerate the healing of their ulcers.

Another purported remedy is the use of Dexaltin Oral Paste (Dexamethasone 1-mg/g).

Triamcinolone Acetonide dental paste can be very effective; the steroid reduces the immune system's response in the area of the ulcer. It is available by prescription only.

Use of a hydrogen peroxide antiseptic mouthwash can help to clean debris and bacteria that can accumulate in an ulcer, thus reducing complications associated with its presence. This treatment is widely available at pharmacies from companies such as Colgate, whose product is called Peroxyl.

Other home remedies vary in efficacy. Certain techniques heal mouth ulcers for some people, but you need to experiment to see what works for you.

How are mouth ulcers treated?

Treatments based on antibiotics and steroids such as Dexamethasone Elixir are reserved for severe cases, and should be used only under medical supervision. Tetracycline suspension is a common antibiotic prescribed for mouth ulcers. Some doctors may also prescribe a local anesthetic, such as lidocaine, for cases of multiple or severe mouth ulcers. If it does not heal within a week, a doctor or dentist may cauterize it using a silver nitrate applicator or laser. This procedure immediately burns off the ulcer, causing it to completely disappear within a few hours or two to three days.

In very severe cases, a doctor may prescribe a steroid treatment. One such steroid is methylprednisolone (usually in a dose-pack), taken orally for a period of 7 days. Alternatively, the doctor may directly inject a steroid into the site of the ulcer which will usually be completely healed 72 to 96 hours after the injection).

Some dentists recommend a sulfuric acid solution for treating mouth ulcers, such as debacterol.