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General HealthDiseases and conditionsChronic mouth ulcers
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Chronic mouth ulcers

by Dr Howard Lee

question
I have had chronic mouth ulcers since I was a child. I’m now 31 and I have been to the doctors on numerous occasions but they don’t seem to be able to get to the bottom of it. I have recently had blood tests but they are all fine.

My doctor was meant to be sending me to a specialist but she has now sent me a letter along with a prescription for triamcinolone acetonide paste. She seems to have forgotten that I need to solve the problem so as to avoid getting ulcers, not just getting rid of them after they have appeared.

Can you help me as I am in constant pain and they make me feel irritable and depressed?

answer

I presume that you have had apthous ulcerations chronically for all these years. This recurrent type does affect up to 30 per cent of the population, and it’s particularly common in women and usually worse in the pre-menstrual period.

Unfortunately the cause is unknown, but in cases like your own it is certainly wise to be seen by a doctor, as it may be that a biopsy is necessary in order to exclude some known causes of this chronic problem. These causes can result from fungal, bacterial or viral infections, gastro-intestinal inflammations and skin infections. Apart from treating the fungal/bacterial/viral infections with appropriate medications, steroids are certainly useful. However you do need a referral to a specialist.

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