Oral ulcers are characterised by a loss of the mucosal layer within the mouth. This loss may be acute or chronic, localised or diffuse. This is one of the most common oral problems presenting in primary care and can arise as a result of a number of disorders. Some of these relate to problems around the oropharynx but there is a wide variety of systemic disorders that can also give rise to these lesions. See also the separate Problems in the Mouth and Some Dental and Periodontal Diseases articles.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/oral-ulceration