Mouth ulcers may appear anywhere on the lips, cheeks, floor of mouth.

Minor ulcers usually heal without scarring within 7-10 days. Major ulcers may occur at any age. They may appear more often, persist longer, and produce more ulcers than with minor mouth ulcers. They can appear as large (> 1 cm.) ulcers that are very painful. In the usual occurrence, the ulcers are not deep enough to expose underlying salivary glands. When they eventually heal, the sites of major ulcers are marked by scars, a feature not seen following healing of minor ulcers.

Taking adequate Zinc (50mg daily) through dietary or supplemental methods may help prevent and shorten the duration of mouth ulcers. In fact other possible dietary or assimilatory deficiencies are Iron, Folic acid and Vitamin B-12. Repeated outbreaks of ulcers reveal an underlying weakness – check that the diet is adequate and not deficient.

The herb Myrrh is used to treat ulcers. Myrrh is usually obtained in an alcohol solution and ‘dabbed’ onto the centre of an ulcer using a cotton bud.

Always remember Marigold for all wounds and sores. It can even be made as a tea, applied to lint and gently held over the ulcer to promote healing.

Ulcers may also appear in the pharynx and esophagus. Esophageal major ulcers pose a serious medical threat if they are extensive and deep enough to weaken the wall. The pain associated with the ulcers may be severe enough to interfere with proper nutrition (eating).