Q: Whether any medicine can reduce the time in the healing of aphthous ulcers? What are the reasons for the ulcers? I am brushing the teeth and cleaning the tongue twice a day. Daily, I am gargling with mouth wash or sodium bicarbonate solution before going to bed. I neither smoke nor chew pan masala. Inspite of all these precautions, I am getting frequent mouth ulcers, making eating and speaking difficult.

A:The mouth ulcers can be caused by a variety of conditions one of which is mouth hygiene. The GI tract has to be checked for any infestation. Sinus infection with post nasal drip is another common cause. Chewing of tobacco, smoking and taking spicy food are other causes. Biopsy of the ulcer will show if there is any element of auto immune disease.