Ulcers in the mouth may occur for a variety of reasons such as injury, inflammatory disorders, reactions to foods, herpes simplex and bacterial infections. The sores may or may not vary in appearance. They may appear on the gums, the floor of the mouth, tongue, on the inside of the cheeks or in the throat, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Pain
Sores in the mouth may cause severe pain. They may also cause a burning or tingling sensation. The pain may be severe enough to cause a person to lose the desire to eat. Eating salty or acidic foods may increase the pain of the sore. Coating the mouth with a numbing medication may help decrease the pain while eating. The pain may last at least seven days, according to Merck Manuals. Larger sores take more time to heal and may cause pain longer.
Shallow Ulcerations
The ulcers form a round or oval, shallow area in the soft portions of the mouth and appear gray, yellow or white in the center. The gray color usually occurs as the ulcer begins to heal. The outer ring of the ulcer may appear red. Most ulcers in the mouth are small and less than ½-inch in size, but larger ulcers may also occur, according to MayoClinic.com. Larger ulcers may have an irregular border instead of a round shape as with smaller ulcers. The ulcers may appear alone or in groups of two or three.
Ill Feelings
A person with sores in the mouth may experience generalized symptoms over the entire body. A fever, uneasiness or generalized discomfort may accompany the mouth ulcers. Some individuals may also experience swollen lymph nodes in the neck, according to MedlinePlus.
