Mouth ulcers are painful small round or oval sores that form in the mouth. Ulcers are harmless but can be uncomfortable particularly when eating or drinking.

Mouth ulcers are very common and most people will suffer from at least one in their lifetime. They are particularly common in women and young adults. Mouth ulcers are not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person.

 The majority of people only suffer mouth ulcers occasionally but there are about 25 per cent of adults and 5-10 per cent of children who suffer from recurrent ulcers.

A mouth ulcer is:

• Round or oval in shape.
• White, red, yellow or grey in colour.
• Inflamed around the edge.
• Painful.

Ulcers often appear on the inside of the lips, cheeks, floor of the mouth and under the tongue. It is rare to find an ulcer on the roof of the mouth.

Most mouth ulcers do not require any treatment and naturally heal within ten to fourteen days. If a mouth ulcer lasts longer than fourteen days they must be referred to the pharmacist as there could be a more serious underlying health problem

If an ulcer is extremely painful and interferes with daily activities such as eating then there are a number of OTC products available to treat mouth ulcers.