Oral health check
Mouth sore that won't heal? Two weeks is the line in Greenwich, CT
Almost every mouth ulcer is harmless and heals within ten days. The ones worth examining are the ones that do not, and that is usually a short, straightforward appointment.
How urgent is it?
Within a few days
Anything in the mouth lasting longer than two weeks should be examined, particularly a patch or lump that is painless.
Opening hours
Mon–Tue 8a–7p · Wed–Thu 8a–5p · Fri 9a–2p
What this usually means
The causes we see most often
01
Trauma
A sharp tooth edge, a denture rubbing against tissue, or a cheek bitten while eating. These tend to heal once the underlying cause is removed.
02
Common ulcers
Aphthous ulcers recur, hurt out of proportion to their size, and typically resolve within about two weeks.
03
Fungal or viral causes
White patches that wipe away, or clusters of small blisters, each have their own straightforward treatment.
04
Something that needs a specialist opinion
A small number of persistent patches, lumps, or non-healing ulcers need a biopsy. Found early, outcomes are far better, which is the entire reason for the two-week guideline.
What to do right now
Before you get here
- 01
Note the date you first noticed it. That single fact shapes the appointment.
- 02
Avoid the obvious irritants, including very hot, acidic, and spicy food, along with any sharp edge you can feel with your tongue.
- 03
Please do not use repeated courses of anything from a pharmacy for weeks on end. It only delays the examination that matters.
- 04
Call us if it has been present for more than two weeks, even if it does not hurt. Painless is not reassuring in this situation.
What we would do
At the appointment
We examine the whole mouth, including the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, and throat, and feel the neck. This is part of every routine examination here, not an extra step.
Where there is an obvious mechanical cause, we remove it, whether that means smoothing an edge or adjusting a denture, and we review it afterward to confirm it has healed.
Where anything persists without a clear explanation, we refer you promptly for a specialist opinion. We would much rather send you and have you reassured.
Q & A
What patients ask us about this
Not necessarily, and that is the whole reason for the two-week guideline. Painless patches and lumps are exactly the ones people tend to leave, so we ask you not to.
Yes, at every examination, and we check the neck as well as the mouth. It takes a minute and is not something we add to your bill separately.
Probably a denture fit issue rather than anything else, but a sore in the same spot for months needs to be examined, and the denture needs adjusting either way.
Where we are
211 East Putnam Avenue, Suite 2-6, Cos Cob
Minutes from central Greenwich on East Putnam Avenue, with parking at the building.
Patients travel to us from
Describe it in your own words when you call. We will tell you whether it needs us today.