What should I do if my baby has mouth ulcers?

In general, when infants develop oral ulcers, they are not only affected in terms of eating and emotional well-being due to pain, but parents also become very concerned. Parents can be provided with management approaches from three aspects: daily care, dietary adjustment, and medical intervention.

Maintaining oral hygiene is the primary task. After each feeding or meal, parents can use clean medical gauze dipped in warm water to gently wipe the infant's oral mucosa, gums, and tongue surface to promptly remove food residue and reduce bacterial growth. Meanwhile, extra attention should be paid to the hygiene of the infant's daily items. Bottles, nipples, tableware, etc., need to be disinfected at high temperatures daily to avoid oral infection due to unclean items, which could worsen ulcer symptoms. Additionally, infants should have their hands washed frequently to prevent introducing germs into the mouth when sucking their fingers.

Reasonable dietary adjustments can help relieve discomfort and promote healing in infants. Ensure infants receive adequate hydration by offering small amounts of water frequently, keeping the oral mucosa moist, which alleviates pain and facilitates the elimination of metabolic waste. If breastfeeding, mothers should pay attention to their own diet, reducing intake of spicy, greasy, and other irritating foods to prevent affecting the infant through breast milk. For infants already on complementary foods, vitamin-rich fruit and vegetable purees can be prepared to both supply nutrients and promote ulcer healing. At the same time, complementary foods should be soft and mushy to avoid rough or hard foods irritating the ulcerated areas and increasing pain.

When an infant's oral ulcer symptoms are mild, infant-appropriate oral care products, such as gels or sprays containing vitamins, may be used under a doctor's guidance to help repair damaged mucosa and relieve pain. If the ulcers are large, accompanied by severe symptoms such as fever, excessive crying, or refusal to eat, or if symptoms persist for several days without improvement, medical attention should be sought immediately. The doctor will assess the situation and may prescribe medications to promote mucosal healing or administer antibiotics if there is a risk of infection. Parents must strictly follow medical instructions for medication and must not arbitrarily use adult medications or stop treatment blindly, as this could affect treatment effectiveness.