Sillim-dong Dental Clinic - Why Mouth Ulcers Don’t Heal Even After Applying Medicine

Hello. I’m Kang Dong-ho, the chief dentist at the Sillim-dong branch of Yonsei Uline Dental Clinic near Sillim Station in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu.

Many people suffer from mouth ulcers that develop inside the mouth, right?

When the pain from a mouth ulcer is severe,

it can seem like applying something would help it heal quickly,

so some people disinfect it with alcohol or use

Albothyl, which was commonly used in the past.

Unfortunately, however, this often only makes the pain much worse

and irritates the wound area.

The reason Albothyl became so well known is that, in the past,

it was almost the only representative mouth-ulcer treatment

easily available at pharmacies.

So it was naturally used a lot,

but these days it is not used as often in dental clinics as it once was.

Instead, products that create a protective barrier in patch form,

or ointment-type treatments that reduce irritation,

are used more often now.

Mouth ulcers can simply occur because the inside of the mouth has become sore,

but they are also quite often related to viral infections.

In such cases, it is not a condition that heals quickly by taking antibiotics,

as it would with a bacterial infection.

Just like when you catch a cold, the body’s immune status and

recovery process are often important,

so the key to treatment is protecting the wound

and reducing pain.

That is why, when treating mouth ulcers at the dental clinic,

rather than using a “medicine that completely gets rid of it,”

the focus is on treatments that reduce pain

and make the area less easily irritated.

Typical methods include applying a protective ointment

or attaching a patch to reduce irritation

caused by food or saliva.

Dentists may also perform laser treatment.

This is a method that uses a laser to stabilize the surface tissue

and reduce irritation, helping to relieve pain.

However, even this treatment process can be accompanied

by some pain.

Many people think, “If I apply medicine, shouldn’t it heal right away?”

But in reality, the severe pain gradually decreases,

and the wound heals as new epithelial cells

cover the affected area.

In other words, the purpose of treatment is often

to help you endure the pain while the area is recovering.

Because mouth ulcers are in the mouth, irritation from food,

saliva, and speaking keeps repeating,

so the pain lasts longer than expected and the discomfort is significant.

So rather than using a harsh, irritating medicine,

it is much more important to protect the wound, minimize irritation,

and wait for recovery.

This has been Yonsei Uline Dental Clinic in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu.