Mouth Ulcers and antibiotics?

[pimpin gimp]

Got a pretty nasty ulcer on my tonsil, it's about half an inch by a quarter and hurts like an absolute bd.
Now normally I'd just smother it in bonjella, salt, a mixture of the two or gargle salt water, but this bugger just won't shift.

Popped to see the GP this morning and he's prescribed amoxicillin, however someone has just mentioned that ulcers aren't bacterial so this won't have any effect at all. I haven't picked up the drugs yet, and I'm not paying £7 quid for some tablets that won't work anyway. So does anyone know if penicillin and its variants actually work on ulcers?

Your thoughts? (other than grumbles at me going to the docs for an ulcer...)


[hr]
And before anyone gives me that "let me google that for you" rubbish, Google gives up varying opinions, I'd like some real world opinions please.

Edited by pimpin gimp on Wednesday 25th February 11:30

[JonX2C]

My mum always told me if you sit and lick it with your tongue for a few hours it will rapidly clear up the next day.

Always works for me now as I suffer from mouth ulcers badly during stressful times.

Just keep licking it.

Works like a charm.

[MacGee]

if it is ulcer on tonsil, sounds more like tonsilitis. best antibiotic is Penicillen V.

Edited by MacGee on Wednesday 25th February 11:52

[pimpin gimp]

JonX2C said:

My mum always told me if you sit and lick it with your tongue for a few hours it will rapidly clear up the next day.

Just keep licking it.

You can lick your tonsils?

Edited by pimpin gimp on Wednesday 25th February 11:56

[pimpin gimp]

MacGee said:

if it is an ulcer, antibiotic useless...get some Adcortyl in orabase which is mild steroid cream. Must catch it early, but reduces severity and period of ulcer. Only if it is an aphthous ulcer.

That's the sort of thing I was after.

How do I know if it's an aphthous ulcer? I presume the doc would have known that? Is adcortyl the stuff that goes on and dries to form a crust over the ulcer?

Might not work, my tongue brushes over the sore everytime I swallow and most of the time that I speak. I think that may be why the usual options aren;t helping.

[VladD]

I use something called Diflam. It comes in a pump action thing with a nozzle, so you can spray it into those hard to reach areas. Hurts like a bh when it hits the ulcer, but it soon takes the pain away. You can get it in most chemists and even Tesco/Sainsburys I think.

[MacGee]

As i altered/edicted my first report. Diffifcult to apply cream to tonsils. Adcortyl best for further forwards. Pen V prob best antibiotic ( as advised by a mate who is ENT consultant). Oral spray good..Difflam which is like a mild anaesthetic which numbs area for while to ease pain.

[shoggoth1]

Having recently recovered from a throat infection (loads of ulcers at the back of my throat), treated with penicillin, the cause can be either viral or bacterial - so I would get your prescription rather than trying to second guess the doctors professional opinion. They generally do not prescribe antibiotics unless they feel it's necessary.

The font of all knowledge states...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouth_ulcers

[pimpin gimp]

I'll give it a whirl then, can't do any harm I suppose.
Might gets ome of this difflam stuff too then, things that sting tend to work pretty well I've found!

[okgo]

Vit B always gets them out of my mouth!

[MacGee]

in my opinion amoxycillen is useless.. something more specific is needed. Doctors do prescibe antibiotics if not sure of problem just in case !!
A fact I was told 5 years ago that more money was spent by doctors prescribing amoxil on NHS than on total of that spent on UK's NHS dentistry !
This isnt reason for not using amoxil, just an interesting fact.

[RJJ]

pimpin gimp if the doctor's not sure then go see a good dentist. He/she will diagnose if it is indeed an ulcer straight away. There are various medications, adcortyl in orabase is good because of the steroid content but you have to apply it, corlan pellets are lozenges which dissolve in the mouth in contact with the ulcer. As someone else suggested difflam is very good comes in mouthwash or spray and is good. Eat lots of oranges,lemons and limes as they contain citric acid which helps clear up ulcerations, it will sting but do you good. Also finally oral or oropharynx ulcerations can be caused by an infection but the primary cause is usually traumatic. Make sure if the ulceration does not clear by 1-2wks latest you go see a dentist/doctor as you may have to have a biopsy, not to upset you but severe/prolonged ulceration is a sign of something more sinister going on.

Hope this information helps you! I would stay on antibiotics and use one of the methods described above as well.

[MacGee]

Crikey RJJ...commonist things are common..hard to get traumatic ulcers in oropharynx...hardly ever seen them..most likely to be infected tonsils...I wouldnt ask anyone to apply cream this far back. Dont frighten with someting more sinister. I hope you dont tell your patients of this routinely !

Edited by MacGee on Wednesday 25th February 12:24

[RJJ]

MacGee said:

Crikey RJJ...commonist things are common..hard to get traumatic ulcers in oropharynx...hardly ever seen them..most likely to be infected tonsils...I wouldnt ask anyone to apply cream this far back. Dont frighten with someting more sinsiter. I hope you dont tell your patients of this routinely !

Agree with you Mcgee not trying to scare anybody just covering all bases and some background information. Have seen more then a few traumatic ulcerations in the oropharynx you would be surprised, but agree more then likely infected tonsils in that area

[MacGee]

thanks...still think Pen V works a treat. But foolish to listen to someone on net. Best to follow specialist who can physically see patient. my best advice is to use difflam + antibiotics. Should clear up 7-10 days.

[dave_s13]

MacGee said:

in my opinion amoxycillen is useless.. something more specific is needed. Doctors usuaully prescibe antibiotics if not sure of problem just to get rid of you !!
A fact I was told 5 years ago that more money was spent by doctors prescribing amoxil on NHS than on total of that spent on UK's NHS dentistry !
This isnt reason for not using amoxil, just an interesting fact.

EFA

Tongue in cheek and all that though

Take the Penicillin, what's the worst that could happen? other than death from an undiagnosed allergy to Pen V

Serious bit; most doctors are actually really good with abx and don't give em out like smarties

[ph1l5]

MacGee said:

if it is an ulcer, antibiotic useless...get some Adcortyl in orabase which is mild steroid cream. Must catch it early, but reduces severity and period of ulcer. Only if it is an aphthous ulcer.

This stuff is amazing, and you can buy it over the counter now.

Edited by ph1l5 on Wednesday 25th February 12:40

[derin100]

Pimpin Gimp,

I'm a Consultant Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon by profession.

My best advice (if this isn't a contradiction in itself!) is to be very wary of taking ANY advice on such matters via an internet forum. Yet more so when the main theme of the internet site is dedicated to motor vehicles and the like!

Without wishing to scare-monger too much...at one end of the spectrum we have entirely benign ulcers for example Aphthous ulcers, traumatic ulcers etc. At the other end of the spectrum...Well, I'm sure we can all guess what lies at the other end of the spectrum? Even to someone like me the two ends of the spectrum can look the same.

I do this for a living and even I wouldn't try to give you any actual medical advice via a forum.

[MacGee]

So PG, dont ask medical questions except to a specialist! That is probvably best advice as given by derin100.

Edited by MacGee on Wednesday 25th February 12:52

[HRG]

Pah, where were all the ENT docs when I asked about a sensation of something stuck in the throat... I've only got a bloody hospital appointment this afternoon, I could have saved myself the bother