All about Canker Sores

canker sores

What is a canker sore?  It is a small open wound or an ulcer in the mouth which makes talking and eating difficult to perform. The area is white in color and usually appear on the tongue and inner part of the lips. These sores are also identified as aphthous ulcers and can appear in any age group.

The canker sore usually lasts for 1 to 2 weeks. If it does not go away or is extremely painful or changing in size then you can consider visiting a dentist or doctor. Remember these sores are not contagious like many other conditions such as herpes.

Forms Of Canker Sores

The canker sores can be divided into 3 categories.

1 - The first is Minor sores which may appear in the mouth three or four times a year. The size is less than 1 centimeter across and heals in about seven days without leaving any scar.

2 - Major sores are less common with a bigger sized ulcer which can last more than 2 weeks with scarring.

3 - Herpetiform sores are rare and show up as collections of tiny ulcers. They usually heal in about a week with no scarring.

What Causes Them?

The reason why ulcers occurs is still not known. Some of the things which might trigger the formation include Hormonal imbalances, cheek biting or trauma to the lining of mouth, allergies to some of the foods or fruits, deficiencies related to nutrition such as folic acid, zinc, iron and vitamins.

According to some researchers, Toothpaste and mouth rinses that contain sodium lauryl sulfate which can be one of the reasons to have ulcers in the mouth. Hormonal changes during menstruation cycle and stress can cause appearance of ulcers in the mouth especially on the tongue and inner part of lips.

Minor damage to your mouth during dental treatment, overenthusiastic brushing, sports accidents or an unintended cheek bite can leave you with a painful or painless wound depending upon the severity of the accident.

Canker sores are sometimes linked with other health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, low immunity and common allergies. Take good care of yourself to avoid these canker sores!!

How To Treat These Canker Sores?

Have you ever had a canker sore? If yes then there is good news that the pain and uneasiness of canker sores can be reduced by readily available prescription and over the counter medications, ointments and some home remedies that include avoiding spicy food too for a canker free mouth.

The Simple cases of infrequent issues will heal over time and vanish without intervention these are called self-limiting canker sores. No remedies have shown till today complete elimination of these ulcers rather just reduce pain, uneasiness, and complication.

Few treatments for canker sores have been through wide clinical testing. The process of treating a canker sore may include antibacterial mouth rinses, topical analgesics, antibacterial ointments, or nutritional supplements. The management of canker sores is focused on treating symptoms. Reducing swelling, and promoting the medicinal process by opposing secondary impact that could slow this down, such as bacterial infection.

One of the most important things about canker sores is telling your doctor or dentist if you are suffering from exhaustion, belly pain, fever, eye problems, or have rashes or sores on other parts of your body. Discussing these points with your physician or dentist about the ulcers will be of great help for them to diagnose it and to prescribe a better medication for reduction of pain.