Aphthous

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Aphthous

Aphthous ulcers are round or ovoid open sores inside the aphthous or upper throat. Aphthous ulcers occur on the inner cheeks, the soft palate, the under surface of the tongue, floor of the mouth and the upper throat.

Aphthous ulcers are always painful and are not contagious. Aphthous ulcers may lead to difficulties in speaking, eating or swallowing and may negatively affect patients' quality of life. Some people suffering from aphthous ulcers experience prodromal symptoms such as tingling or swelling 24h to 48h before the onset of aphthous ulcers.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) or recurrent aphthous ulcers are usually classified into three categories :

Aphthous ulcers and pain


Type of RAS	Symptoms	Duration
Minor aphthous stomatitis	1 to 5 aphthous ulcers with diameter of 1 to 10 mm	7 to 14 days
Major aphthous stomatitis	1 to 10 aphthous ulcers with diameter of less than 1 cm	10 to 30 days
Herpetiform aphthous stomatitis	5 to 100 aphthous ulcers with diameters of 1-3 mm, all of which tend to fuse, forming a large aphthous ulcer	7 to 14 days

Minor aphthous ulcers represent 75% to 85% of all recurring aphthous stomatitis cases, major aphthous ulcers 10% to 15% and herpetiform aphthous ulcers 5% to 10%¹.

In Great Britain, 800 000 people have mouth ulcers more than once a month

Tip of the day:

If you often have mouth ulcers or if you have a mouth ulcer which lasts for more than 4 weeks, consult a practitioner