The mouth ulcer ambulance

Nothing irritates quite like an ulcer. A mouth ulcer is essentially the loss or erosion of the delicate tissue lining the mouth. Mostly these stem from biting the inside of your mouth, but often also occur from plain old stress.

In more severe (and serious) cases though, the cause may lie with taking certain drugs – or even diseases like herpes or thrush. If unsure, check with a health professional.

For the bulk of instances though, ulcers are harmless and clear up in a few days. They may be irritated by eating spicy foods, or even brushing your teeth – so the rule is to go easy during the period until it clears up.

While you can buy over-the-counter ulcer creams which act like an antiseptic (and are useful for preventing further infection), there are also a few effective natural solutions.

"We need to listen to our bodies, and ulcers are always telling us something about our health," says naturopath and Blackmores Education Director, Pam Stone. "They're often a response to a weakened immune system."

"Echinacea can help, but what I tend to recommend is Bio Zinc. This works well as zinc targets that area," she says. "If stress is a factor, B-vitamin complexes and other stress nutrients are a good course of action."

Beyond that, target anything that's likely to build your immune system, she recommends. This can include everything from cutting back on caffeine to improve your sleep, to getting some exercise to clear your mind.

The road to recovery in clearing up ulcers is typically a short one, so fear not and stress less.

More useful tips for avoiding and treating ulcers:

Prevent

• Brush your teeth at least twice every day and floss regularly.
• Visit your dentist regularly.
• Brush your teeth very gently, taking care not to slip with the brush.
• Eat a well balanced and nutritious diet.
• Make sure that underlying conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and inflammatory bowel disease, are managed appropriately.
• Avoid spicy and sour foods until the ulcers heal
• Drink plenty of fluids

Treat

• Regularly rinse your mouth out with warm, slightly salted water
• Keep the mouth clean
• Apply antiseptic gel to the ulcers
• Ensure you have adequate levels of zinc and/or B-vitamins to boost your immune system