Mouth Ulcers (Aphthae): What do we know about them?
Recurrent aphthous ulcers are one of the most common oral conditions in both adults and children/adolescents. It is an inflammatory condition of immunological origin, characterized by one or multiple painful ulcers (sores) in the oral cavity, which recur and are not accompanied by general symptoms.
Their duration is usually limited (7-15 days) but they are painful and create significant problems in daily oral functions, such as chewing, swallowing and speaking.
Aphthae are classified into minor, major and herpetiform ulcers. Their frequency of occurrence and number varies.
What causes them?
The etiology of mouth ulcers is unknown.
However, the following are implicated as predisposing factors:
- mechanical trauma to the area,
- allergy to foods or chemical substances,
- hormonal factors,
- genetic predisposition,
- vitamin and trace element deficiencies,
- stress.
Ulcerations resembling aphthae have also been observed in certain systemic diseases, such as:
- hematological disorders (e.g. cyclic neutropenia),
- syndromes (e.g. Adamantiades-Behcet, PFAPA),
- gastrointestinal diseases (e.g. Crohn’s disease),
- immunosuppressive conditions (e.g. AIDS).
How are they treated?
There is no specific therapeutic treatment for aphthae and it is not possible to prevent recurrences.
The goals of their management, however, are:
- identification and elimination of the possible predisposing factor,
- pain relief,
- reduction of ulcer duration,
- reduction of recurrence frequency.
Good results in the treatment of aphthae have been observed with the use of topical pharmaceutical preparations in mild conditions and in severe cases (with multiple ulcers and high recurrence frequency) systemically administered drugs.