Discontinuity in the oral mucosa

Solitary ulcer

• Trauma
• Possible malignancy
• Infective - TB, tertiary syphilis

Multiple ulcers

Recurrent aphthous ulceration

• Most common cause
• Patient usually otherwise well
• Autoimmune
• Can be made worse by B12/iron deficiency and stress

Bechet’s disease

• Hereditary systemic vasculitis that produces almost identical ulcers to RAU
• Additional symptoms - genital ulceration, uveitis, erythema nodosum and other systemic features

Anaemia

• Can cause oral ulceration

Infective causes

• e.g. herpes simplex

Lichen planus

• Inflammatory condition