Repeated oral ulcers may not be simply caused by "getting angry"! Be careful of this disease

In daily life, many people are always troubled by oral ulcers, which cause recurring pain and greatly affect their quality of life, making them unable to eat and sleep at night.

Is it a big deal if you often get oral ulcers? What kind of oral ulcers should you be wary of?

What are mouth ulcers?

Oral ulcer is a common ulcerative injury disease occurring in the oral mucosa, commonly known as " mouth sore ". The location of the disease is not fixed and it usually heals itself in 1 to 2 weeks. It is a self-limiting disease.

When oral ulcers occur, they cause severe pain and obvious local burning pain . In severe cases, they can also affect eating and speaking.

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Some oral ulcers that recur are also called recurrent aphthous ulcers . The typical lesions are round, with a sunken center, covered with a yellow-white pseudomembrane, and surrounded by a clearly defined red halo. They can occur in any part of the mouth, such as the tongue, cheeks, lips, gums, pharynx, hard palate, etc. They are often multiple, severe, and recurrent.

Why do you get mouth ulcers?

There are many causes of oral ulcers, including**genetic factors, immune dysfunction, dietary stimulation, digestive system diseases, etc. **Therefore, when we always stay up late to work overtime, have disordered work and rest, and are anxious and nervous, which leads to a decrease in immunity, oral ulcers will come quietly.

In addition, wounds caused by improper brushing, accidental biting, friction from hard food, and friction from orthodontic appliances may also turn into oral ulcers.

In addition to these common factors, a variety of factors may cause oral ulcers, including lack of vitamins and trace elements , such as zinc, iron, folic acid and vitamin B, bacterial or viral infections, changes in menstrual hormone levels, etc.

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If the oral ulcers described above only occur occasionally, there is usually no need to worry . However, if they occur frequently and do not get better over the long term, then you should be alert to whether you have a rheumatological disease!

Next, we will introduce a rheumatic autoimmune disease that often causes oral ulcers - Behcet's disease .

What is Behçet's disease?

Behçet's disease, also known as Behçet's syndrome, is a chronic, relapsing autoimmune/inflammatory disease with vasculitis as the underlying pathological change. The disease was first reported by Turkish doctor Hulusi Behçet in 1937, so it was named "Behçet's disease".

The prevalence rate in my country is 14/100,000, and the age of onset is mostly between 15 and 50 years old.

What other symptoms does Behcet's disease have besides mouth ulcers?

The main manifestations of this disease are recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers and uveitis . In addition to the triad of symptoms, lesions of the skin, gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels, lungs, joints, urinary system and nervous system may also occur as the disease progresses. It is a disease that can affect multiple systems and organs.

Why does Behcet's disease occur?

As a rheumatic immune system disease, it is currently believed that factors that can affect the immune system or the body's own stability may become the cause of the disease, such as:

Infect;

Irregular life;

Overeating;

Emotional anxiety, mental stimulation, etc.

Does frequent oral ulcers mean that you have Behcet's disease? This is a common misconception ! Oral ulcers are indeed a very important diagnostic clue for Behcet's disease, but the two are not equivalent.

The essence of Behcet's disease is a variant vasculitis that can affect large, medium and small blood vessels throughout the body. The affected blood vessels can range from arteries to veins, from small blood vessels to large blood vessels, and can spread throughout the body, causing multi-system damage.

To confirm Behcet's disease, the following tests are needed:

● Comprehensive history taking and physical examination;

● Blood tests, such as routine blood, urine, stool examination, liver and kidney function, electrolytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B5/51, etc.;

● Imaging examinations (such as vascular B-ultrasound, MRI, gastrointestinal endoscopy, etc.);

● Related pathological examination: For large, deep and long-term unhealed ulcers, mucosal biopsy is required to rule out the possibility of cancer;

● Special examinations: acupuncture reaction, etc.

What should patients with Behcet's disease pay attention to?

1. Maintain oral hygiene . Do not eat hard or hot food to avoid damaging the oral mucosa. Avoid eating irritating food.

2. When oral or genital ulcers occur, it is recommended to take timely care of the wound to avoid secondary bacterial infection.

3. Seek help from a rheumatologist . There is currently no recognized effective cure for Behcet's disease, but research has found that there are a variety of drugs that are effective in treating the disease.

Behcet's disease is not just a simple "oral ulcer". Severe Behcet's disease can also affect peripheral blood vessels, heart, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, kidneys and other organs. Seeking treatment from a specialist in time can greatly improve the patient's prognosis and quality of life!

Planning and production

Source｜Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (ID: srrsh199405)

Review丨Shi Xiaojun, deputy chief physician, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital

Editor: Wang Mengru

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin