What are Tongue ulcers?
Tongue ulcers are Painful sores that appear more frequently on the sides of tongue or under the tongue. It is also called as Aphthous ulcers. It is commonly seen as a white colored lesions under 1 mm in size, when these white or yellowish sores are larger than 1 mm and reddish around the white patches then it is characterized as a sever tongue ulcer which requires immediate medication or consultation of doctor.
How long it takes to cure?
Like any other infection it takes time to heal, usually it will go away naturally within 7-10 days. In general the pain will go out in 3-5 days while the mouth sore in tongue will heal by itself completely in one to three weeks. Larger tongue sores which are more than 1 mm in size will take longer period to heal.
What causes tongue ulcer on your mouth?
There are quite a few strong causes to show why do you get tongue ulcers in mouth?
- Accidental tongue bite is the most common reason found in 65% of people who suffered the painful tongue sores.
- Burning your tongue and mouth by drinking hot water, coffee and tea is ranked as second most common caused for mouth ulcer.
- Eating food that are rich in acidic and spicy or salty foods. Specially, During when your mouth is damaged causes tongue ulcers under the tongue
- Changes in hormonal balance during menstrual cycle
- Genetic inheritance
- Viral infections
- A lack of vitamin B-12, iron and folic acid in the diet
- Using toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulfate
- Injury to the tongue from biting, chewing, etc.
- Excessive drinking of coffee - caffeine contained in coffee reacts with enzymes and reacts to induce ulcers in tongue. Besides tongue sore, Excessive coffee will also bring ulcers in stomach and intestine.
Other factors that lead to tongue ulcers are excessive alcohol drinking, smoking, skipping breakfast, frequent travelling and heat stroke.
What are the common signs and symptoms of tongue ulcer?
Unfortunately, there are no distinguished symptoms to determine whether you are likely to get affected with tongue ulcers or not.
Below are the most common symptoms informed by people those who have suffered this painful tongue ulcers while consulting the doctors.
- Bud or lump like structure formations under the tongue or side of tongue 2-3 days before they got ulcers on the side of tongue.
- Feeling pain, soreness or numbness in tongue while talking.
- Tingling or burning sensation in the burned or affected areas of tongue.
Above are the most common symptoms observed in majority of patients who got treated for Aphthous ulcers in tongue.Check here for more symptoms of tongue ulcers.
Best Tongue ulcer treatment
The most effective treatment to get rid of tongue ulcer is to increase your body's immunity power by taking B-complex tablets and vitamin tablets.
Glycerin: Rinsing your mouth and tongue with glycerin on the affected parts of tongue is the best way to alleviate the pain caused by ulcers under tongue and throat. Rinsing your mouth with glycerin also controls the wounds or lesions further spreading and expanding inside the mouth and throat.
But apart from this there are various home remedies for tongue ulcers.
Home remedies for mouth ulcers on tongue
- Salt water gargling - Gargle your mouth withLuke warm salt water mixture 3-5 times a day. It will free your tongue from sticky nature and helps you to speak better. Also, it the most widely recommended solution by the doctors to get rid of ulcers on tongue.
- Butter to soothe the pain - Applying Butter on the lesions of tongue will certainly have effect in reducing the tingling and burning sensation. It also acts as a coating agent on top of mouth ulcer under tongue so that it prevents any external viral or micro organic agents from doing damage to your ulcer tongue.
- Applying honey on mixed with peapul tree leaves and the roots is an excellent home remedy to cure mouth ulcers on the tongue quickly.
- Applying milk of the banyan tree will cure mouth ulcers on the tongue at faster pace than any other method. The downside is, ithas to be done in the early morning for 2-3 days before the sun rise.
- Swishing you mouth with coconut oil and drinking a small amount of coconut oil will heal your stomach ulcer which will help in healingthe tongue and mouth ulcer.
- Eating papaya fruitin the breakfast reduces your body heat and brings the body. Papaya is rich in vitamin and it helps to restore your immunity system.Once your body is back to normal temperature means immunity power will be restored and rest will be taken care by antibiotic agents.
Tongue ulcer relief:
Foods to be taken when having tongue ulcer
- When a person is affected with tongue ulcer, they must follow some strict discipline in eating. Also, peopleshould bring change in their food items.
- People having ulcers on tongue and throatshould stop eatingspicy foods and hot coffee or tea.
- Instead of drinking tea, coffee one should drink milk to get rid of white ulcer on side of tongue.
- Drinking yoghurt mixed with berries or butter milk is the best treatment for tongue ulcers healing.
- Curd must be taken in the food which will give u some vitamin strength.
- Eating fruits like papaya, green banana and apple will cure quickly.
Most importantly one should avoid wheat food items as it contains gluten which will act as a catalyst for further spreading of mouth ulcers. Eating gluten free food is the recommended for fast tongue ulcer remedy Rice food items or gluten free foods or oats is a good option for people suffering from mouth ulcers on tongue during the days of treating the tongue ulcer.
When to seek doctor's help
- When the sores become swollen and reddish in color
- When blood comes out of the ulcers affected areas
- When the white ulcer on tongue is not healing within 7-10 days of time periods
- When red ulcers on tongue gives unbearable pain