Have Recurring Canker Sore On Soft Palate. How To Cure This Permanently?

Posted on Mon, 15 Apr 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 Answered on

Mon, 6 May 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I have some recurring canker sores on my soft palate. I have had canker sores all my life. but usually get one once every 6 months. have had one that keeps recurring on my soft palate with a lot of redness around it....my question is it a canker sore..there is a white spot with a lot of redness around it on the soft palate and have never had a canker sore on my soft palate. it has always been on the inside of lip area.

Answered by Dr. Naveen (23 minutes later)

Hi

Thanks for posting the query

The description given by you is typical of aphthous ulcer or canker sore. The ulcers can appear on anywhere in the oral cavity, the commonest being the tongue and buccal mucosa.

The causes for recurrent oral ulcers include, stress, smoking, spirit (alcohol), spicy food, certain medications, reduced immunity, acid reflux disease, etc.. You should be really concerned if the ulcer is a non-healing one.

Do not worry! The location of the ulcer over the palate is not a XXXXXXX sign.

My suggestions to you are:
1. Drink plenty of warm water, this helps in reducing the congestion and pain by increasing the blood supply to the affected organs.
2. Consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, this will boost your immunity.
3. Use oral hydrocortisone gel for local application 3 times a day after food.
4. Take an anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen or diclofenac for the pain relief.
5. Avoid coffee, fizzy drinks, cold or hot food & beverages and oily food for few days till you recover.

Hope with these measures your problems are relieved. If you have any further queries, you are welcome.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Naveen (16 minutes later)

I have used orajel antiseptic rinse and that seems to heal the sore. is that ok? is the large redness around the one of soft palate normal? because I have redness of both sides of the palate but only white spot on the left side

Answered by Dr. Naveen (1 hour later)

Hi

Thanks for writing back

You can definitely use the oral rise solution, but for the faster relief please follow the above mentioned measures.

Secondly, the while spot you have noticed with the red hallo around it is the slough (layer of dead cells) on the floor of the ulcer, while on the other side it is only the inflamed mucosa. So, both are literally the same, but in the various stages of ulcer formation.

Hope this clarifies your doubt. I wish you good health and speedy recovery.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Naveen (4 hours later)

here is a pic of the redness on my soft palate...is that anything to be worried about?
did you get a chance to look at the pic?
just uploaded another pic....is this normal looking?

Answered by Dr. Naveen (1 hour later)

Hi

Welcome back

I have gone through the images posted by you. There is inflammation over the anterior tonsillar pillars on both sides suggestive of acute viral pharyngitis with aphthous ulcer on the left tonsillar pillar.

Do not worry! I can very much assure you this is not something XXXXXXX and you will definitely feel better after taking the measures as suggested in the above discussion. The more you worry, the worse will be the results and the ulcers will take more time to heal.

Wish you good health.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar