Cracks at the corners of your mouth are a common disorder. Viruses like herpes simplex or hand, foot and mouth disease can cause a variety of dots and spots in and around the mouth. Be vigilant for any mouth ulcers that persist longer than three weeks.
The Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium once said that we have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. It’s a sentiment many parents, grandparents – and US TV personality Judge Judy – are fond of repeating. And for good reason too.
But the mouth acts as more than a means of communication, or entry for food and drink. It’s also a way of identifying some internal diseases. For example, many of us will be familiar with the pesky mouth ulcer .
They’re very common and often found on the internal lining of the mouth, the tongue or gingivae – the gums. And by gum are they irritating. The most common type are aphthous ulcers , round or oval swollen sores, which typically start off yellow in colour before turning grey(ish) later.
They often have a red border or “halo” around them..
