Almost one in five people suffer from canker sores.
These sores often show up on the inside of the mouth only. As opposed to cold sores, aphthous ulcers (canker sores) are not contagious.
You can spot these sores by their oval shape with a red border. They most often have a yellow, white or gray center. Canker sores can be painful, but most will go away on their own (without treatment) in a few days to a couple of weeks.
Some causes of canker sores
Though researchers aren't 100% sure what causes canker sores, one factor that is suspected is heredity. Canker sores tend to afflict those ages 10 to 20 years old and affect women almost twice as much as men. Links have been identified between canker sores and stress, and they typically happen at the location where the mouth has been injured. Connections have been discovered between canker sores and sodium lauryl sulfate, a component of a lot of types of toothpaste and mouthwashes, as well. And, lastly, canker sores could be an indication of an immune system issue.
Canker sores come in three varieties. While most canker sores are minor ones, there are also major and herpetiform canker sores. You can read more about these other kinds of canker sores on the
Mayo Clinic website.
How to treat a canker sore
If are suffering from a minor canker sore, no treatment is typically needed. However, there are a few things you can do to avoid additional pain.
- Don't eat spicy foods as well as those that might be hard or scratchy. These will aggravate the wound.
- Don't use your toothbrush on the sore, and use a toothpaste that does not contain SLS.
To keep from getting canker sores
- Watch out for foods that can irritate your mouth.
- Be sure to have proper nutrition as well as avoid vitamin deficiency
- Protect your mouth from injury-Orthodontic wax can help with braces.
- Reduce your stress.
If you are suffering from a canker sore that is unusually large or painful, either call your doctor or
Dr. Lechner.