People who suffer from IBD or Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease get extra-intestinal symptoms such as small mouth ulcers. Two of the most common of these ulcers include Recurrent Aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and recurrent intraoral herpes (RIH). However, it is not clear why these ulcers appear in people with IBD but they often coincide with flare-ups and usually subside with the remission of IBD.

Causes of mouth ulcers can be related to

1. Microbial Disease like Herpes, chickenpox, infectious mononucleosis
2. Gastrointestinal Disease like Crohn's, Coeliac and Ulcerative Colitis
3. Skin Disease like liche Planus, erythema multiforme
4. Blood Disorders like leukaemia, neutropenia
5. Rheumatoid Diseases like systemic lupus erthematosus, Behcet's disease, Reiter's syndrome or to
6. Drugs ( cytotoxic agents, Nicorandril, NSAIDs and oral nicotine replacement therapy)

Futhermore mouth ulcers can also be related to food sensitivities or nutritional deficiencies when not related to any of the above causes.

People with Coeliac disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease often have intolerance to some foods and this leads to a reduced uptake of nutrients. Two of these most sensitive foods include gluten and wheat.. Finding well tolerated, highly absorbable wholefood supplements whilst using Aloeride both as a buffer and to facilitate nutrient uptake will help to overcome such a deficiency.

When you have mouth ulcers you try to make your diet macrobiotic which is nutritious but bland and consists of soft foods devoid of any spices and salts so that it does not cause any irritation. Medical treatment can include antiseptic chlorhexidine mouthwashes, hydrocortisone pellets, antibiotic pastes or topical corticosteroids. Increasingly people use topical  aloe vera to this list.

A randomised controlled trial published in the British Journal of Dermatology confirmed empirical findings that aloe vera can help mouth ulcers associated with oral lichen planus (Volume 158, Number 3, March 2008, pp. 573-577(5).

Out of 54 patients, half of whom received topically applied aloe vera and half of whom received a placebo, 81% of patients treated with aloe vera had a good response after eight weeks of treatment, while only 4% of placebo patients had a similar response. Where improvement occurred, it was on a significantly greater scale in those treated with aloe vera, a 50% symptom improvement was scored in 63% of the aloe vera patients but only in 7% of the placebo group. Burning pain completely disappeared in 33% of the aloe vera patients, compared with only 4% of the placebo group.

Dentist Dr. Timothy Moore wrote a paper about using aloe vera in over 6,000 of his patients. He found that both patients and doctors noted the healing capabilities of aloe vera to far exceed their expectations in pain control, oedema control and healing time reduction. Next to intraoral lesions he applies aloe vera to periodontal surgery sites, traumatized gum tissue, ulcerations as discussed here, chemical burns, extraction sites (these sites respond more comfortably and dry sockets do not develop when aloe vera is applied) and around dental implants to control inflammation from bacterial contamination.

When you use Aloeride for mouth ulcers you should appreciate that contact time is of the essence. Open a capsule and empty its content onto a spoon, now put the powder in your mouth and add some water to it. Swill that mixture around your mouth for no less than 5 minutes. If say, you have a mouth ulcer on the left cheek or gums then of course you lean your head slightly in that direction so the mixture of water and Aloeride powder is in contact with the lesion. After the 5 minutes you swallow the water with Aloeride powder. You can repeat this procedure upto 4 times a day. Should a mouth ulcer persist for more than 3 weeks then you are advised to see a physician.