Peptic ulcers are open sores which occur on the lining of stomach, esophagus, or duodenum. Many people believe that peptic ulcers are caused by spicy food or stress. However, peptic ulcers are caused due to a specific type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. Stress and spicy foods can worsen peptic ulcer, though. NSAIDs, which are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, like ibuprofen can also cause peptic ulcers. If you are experiencing symptoms like abdominal pain with a burning sensation, pain after few hours of eating, pain becoming worse on an empty stomach, heartburn, belching, nausea, indigestion, vomiting, weight loss, or poor appetite, then these all point to peptic ulcer. To treat peptic ulcers, the doctor will prescribe you certain ulcer medications. Over-the-counter drugs and many lifestyle changes will also be advised. Mouth ulcers, also called oral ulcer, stomatitis ulcerative, and ulcer-mouth, are open lesions or sores in the mouth. Small open sores can be annoying and painful, which can be caused due to various reasons like injury to the mouth, stress, or certain medical condition. If you have any open sores in the mouth or pain and discomfort in the mouth, then you can use certain OTC medications. However, if you tend to get mouth ulcers often, then you should visit the doctor to find out the cause and treat the underlying cause for mouth ulcers. Following are some mouth and stomach ulcer medicines available over-the-counter: Peptic Ulcer Antacids These are very commonly used drugs to treat stomach ulcer. You can buy a good antacid in syrup or tablet form to cure peptic ulcer. Sometimes, the doctor might also prescribe an acid blocker with antacid. Antacids help neutralize the existing stomach acid and provide quick pain relief. Proton pump inhibitors To reduce stomach acids, one can shut down the pumps within the acid secreting cells. These drugs help reduce acid by blocking the action of these tiny pumps. Acid blockers Certain acid blockers are available without prescription. They are also called histamine (H-2) blockers, which reduce the amount of hydrochloric acid released in your digestive tract that helps relieve ulcer pain and encourage healing. Mouth Ulcer Topical Pastes/Gels You can buy mouth ulcer medication in the form of a paste or gel. Active ingredients like benzocaine (Orabase), amlexanox (Aphthasol), and fluocinonide (Lidex, Vanos) can help alleviate pain and speed up the process of healing when topically applied to the lesions as soon as they occur. Nutritional Supplements These are not medications to treat the mouth and tongue ulcers, but can greatly help heal the mouth lesions faster. Nutritional supplements like folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12, and zinc are recommended. Numbing Products There are certain gels or creams which can be used to numb the painful areas in the mouth. These might not help in healing, but can greatly help numb the area, and thus, reduce painful sensation of ulcers. Debacterol This is a topical solution, which was specially made for treating gum problems and canker sores. This solution, by chemically cauterizing the lesions, helps reduce the healing time to about a week. If you have chronic symptoms or recurring stomach or mouth ulcers, then consult a doctor for treatment. Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.