What are the signs and symptoms of aphthous ulcers?
There are basically 3 types of aphthous ulcers: • Recurrent minor aphthous ulcers, which occur in up to 80% of aphthous ulcer cases. They are usually less than 5mm in diameter and heal within 1-2 weeks. • Major aphthous ulcers, which are large ulcers (more than 10mm) that take weeks or months to heal and do so with scarring. • Herpetiform ulcers, which are multiple pinpoint ulcers that heal within a month. These are most commonly on the tongue. Recurrent minor aphthous ulcers usually begin as a round yellowish elevated spot surrounded by a red halo. This then breaks down into an ulcer, which is covered with a loosely attached white or greyish membrane. Surrounding tissue is healthy and unaffected. Sometimes these ulcers can be painful, particularly if they are irritated by movement or from eating certain types of food. People may experience a single ulcer or multiple ulcers. Multiple ulcers tend to be widely distributed throughout a person’s mouth.
