1
Accumulated heart-spleen heat
- Key distinguishing signs
- Acute red ulcers with yellow center, severe pain, bad breath, thirst, constipation, dark urine
- Treatment principle
- Clear heart-spleen heat and guide heat downward
Digestivekǒu shé shēng chuāng
Mouth ulcers
Also called:canker soresaphthous ulcers
From the TCM perspective: Mouth ulcers: heat rising or yin/blood deficiency
Overview
Mouth ulcers are small painful lesions on the tongue or inner cheek. TCM distinguishes accumulated heart-spleen heat or stomach fire rising (acute, very red and painful) from deficiency fire due to yin/blood deficiency (recurrent, less red, slow to heal).
☯Common patterns (syndrome differentiation)
2
Stomach fire rising
- Key distinguishing signs
- Ulcers on gums/tongue with strong hunger, bad breath and constipation, red tongue with thick yellow coat
- Treatment principle
- Clear stomach fire and cool the blood
3
Yin-deficiency fire
- Key distinguishing signs
- Recurrent less-red ulcers, dry mouth at night, hot palms, night sweat, red tongue with little coat
- Treatment principle
- Nourish yin and downbear deficiency fire
4
Qi-blood deficiency
- Key distinguishing signs
- Pale shallow recurrent ulcers, fatigue, poor appetite, pallor, slow healing, pale tongue
- Treatment principle
- Tonify qi and blood to promote healing
Daily self-care
- Avoid irritants (spicy, acidic, salty, crunchy) and rinse with warm salt water.
- Stay hydrated, use a soft brush to avoid gum injury, and manage fatigue/sleep (a common trigger).
- Eat balanced nutrition and track triggers (food, stress, menstrual cycle).
When to seek medical help
The following warning signs require prompt medical evaluation — do not rely on self-treatment:
- An ulcer not healing beyond two weeks, or enlarging and hardening.
- Persistent white/red patches with tobacco/alcohol use or unexplained bleeding.
- Oral sores with fever, or ulcers also on skin/eyes/genitals.
Medical disclaimer: Educational content about traditional Chinese medicine for information only; it is not a diagnosis or treatment and does not replace a qualified clinician. If symptoms worsen or warning signs appear, seek medical care.