Mouth sores and ulcers
Is an upper GI problem causing your mouth ulcer or sore? A GI (gastrointestinal) problem, such as acid reflux, is a common cause of mouth sores and ulcers. Getting one now and then is normal. However, speak to a GP or dentist if you continue to experience mouth sores and ulcers. After evaluating your symptoms, they may recommend visiting a gastroenterologist to investigate whether a GI condition is causing your problems.
Our gastroenterologist can determine whether an upper GI problem is causing your mouth sore or ulcer.
What are mouth ulcers and sores?
An ulcer is a type of sore. Mouth sores are painful lesions. They may appear on your lips, gum, tongue, cheeks, and the floor or roof of your mouth.
Mouth sores and ulcers usually cause redness, inflammation, and pain. You may experience just one or many at a time. If you experience multiple ulcers or sores, or they keep returning, we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional.
Book an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing severe pain along with a fever, a skin rash, joint pain, or diarrhoea. Also, seek help if your pain doesn’t improve with medication or you experience no pain.
What do sores and ulcers look like?
A sore or ulcer may be round or oval-shaped. Mouth sores can differ in appearance depending on what’s causing them and can be red, white, grey, yellow, or purple.
A white/grey sore with a red halo could be a canker sore, also known as an aphthous ulcer. These are often small and oval-shaped. This could also indicate a folate (vitamin B9) deficiency and anaemia – signs of coeliac disease. These sores can be white, grey, yellow, or red. Anaemia can cause pale gums and skin.
If your sores appear as patches or lesions, you might be experiencing damage from acid reflux. These patches could appear on the gums, tongue, or palate.
Patches or lesions can also be a sign of mouth cancer. These may appear red or white, anywhere inside the mouth or on the lips, and would not heal. You could also experience persistent lumps in the mouth or neck and unexplained loose teeth.
Frequent mouth ulcers and sores
Mouth ulcers and sores have many causes, such as minor injuries (trauma), hormonal changes, and stress. Or they can be a sign of a medical condition.
There are several common causes of mouth sores and ulcers, such as stress, gum damage or vitamin deficiency. You may experience discomfort for a short time, but it should heal quickly. If you have a vitamin deficiency, supplements may help.
We recommend speaking to a healthcare professional if you have new sores or ulcers appearing before the old ones have healed. Your mouth sores and ulcers may be a sign of a gastrointestinal condition, especially an upper GI condition.
Symptoms that indicate an upper GI problem
If your mouth sores or ulcers are due to an upper GI condition, you may experience the following additional symptoms.
- Frequent acid reflux, heartburn, and indigestion
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Hoarseness of voice
- Constant sore throat
- Difficulty swallowing
- Reduced appetite
- Bloating and gas
Many of these symptoms overlap with various upper GI conditions.
Upper GI conditions linked to mouth sores
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD/GERD)
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
- Barrett’s oesophagus
- Oesophagitis
Other symptoms that indicate a GI condition
While mouth ulcers or sores are linked to upper GI conditions, other GI conditions can cause them, for example, Crohn’s disease (IBD) and coeliac disease.
You might experience:
- Weight loss
- Chronic diarrhoea
- Frequent constipation
- Feeling sick and vomiting
When to speak to a gastroenterologist
Once you’ve had a visual examination to confirm mouth sores or ulcers, you may need further investigation to identify the cause. Your GP or dentist may want to rule out causes related to your oral hygiene before suggesting a gastroenterologist.
If you are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, such as those above, you may wish to start by talking to a gastroenterologist. Depending on your other symptoms, we can recommend the most appropriate tests to identify the cause of your sores or ulcers.
Testing
If you have symptoms of acid reflux alongside mouth ulcers, we may perform a gastroscopy (upper endoscopy). To confirm or rule out GORD, we may also perform a 96-hour wireless pH capsule (BRAVO) test.
If we suspect IBD, we might do a colonoscopy as well as blood and stool tests. Blood tests and a biopsy via endoscopy can also confirm a diagnosis of coeliac disease.
Treatment
Mouth sore and mouth ulcer treatment depends on their type and what is causing them.
If you’re experiencing mouth ulcers alongside other upper GI symptoms, or frequent mouth ulcers, we will do further tests to get to the root of the problem.
If mouth ulcers are your only concern, lifestyle changes (such as changing diet and reducing stress) or over-the-counter medication (such as corticosteroid lozenges and anti-inflammatory drugs) can be used to ease discomfort.
We recommend that you don’t squeeze your sores as this can increase your pain and lead to scarring.
The upper GI conditions associated with mouth sores and ulcers often cause acid reflux.
If severe acid reflux is causing your issues, we will recommend lifestyle changes and medications to reduce your reflux. Though, if these don’t work, we might suggest anti-reflux surgery or other procedures.
Book an appointment
Mouth sores and ulcers can be painful and affect your quality of life. They can make it difficult to eat or drink comfortably. Our specialists provide expert private care for a range of digestive disorders, many of which can cause mouth sores and ulcers.
Our gastroenterologists will take their time to evaluate your symptoms. We will explain our findings clearly, so you can feel more in control of your body.
If you are experiencing mouth sores and ulcers, book an appointment with one of our gastroenterologists to rule out a digestive problem.