Things You Need To Know About Canker Sores

Sometimes, small and shallow open wounds appear in the mouth. Those wounds are most widely known as canker sores, or aphthous ulcers. The main types of canker sores include the following.

• Minor canker sores: These are the sores that usually appear 3 to 4 times in a year. They are 1 centimeter in length and they heal within a week without scarring.
• Major canker sores: These canker sores are not very common. These are the bigger sores and they can last up to 2 weeks. You can get them treated with scarring.
• Herpetiform canker sores: These are the rarest canker sores and they appear as clusters of tiny ulcers. Just like minor canker sores, these sores heal in a week.

Reasons and risk factors

The exact risk factors that lead to the development of canker sores are unknown. However, there are a few things that might cause canker sores. Those factors include:

• Stress
• Injury to the tissues
• Foods higher in acidity
• Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen
• Allergy to certain foods

Complex canker sores might result due to following risk factors:

• Weaken immune system
• Vitamin and mineral deficiency
• Gastrointestinal disease

Canker sores vs. cold sores

Many people mistake canker sores with cold sores. They are not the same actually. Cold sores are fluid-filled blisters which are caused by viral infections; and so, they can be highly contagious. Cold sores usually occur outside of the mouth, unlike the canker sores which are developed inside the mouth.

Symptoms of canker sores

• A painful sore on your tongue, on the soft palate, or inner cheek is more probably a canker sore.
• This sore can result in tingling or burning sensation in the area where it is at.
• These sores are round in shape, and white or gray in color with red edge or border.
• Severe canker sores can result in fever, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.

Diagnosis

While these sores are not dangerous, you may need to call your dentist because you do not want to mistake any other infection with canker sores. It is going to be worth mentioning here that canker sores share similarities with the symptoms of some serious infections. You need to consult your dentist after noticing following signs:

• Unusually large sores
• Sores that seem spreading
• Sores lasting 3 weeks or more
• Extreme pain
• Trouble drinking water
• High and persistent fever

Treatment

You do not have to do anything special to get the canker sores treated. They get healed on their own. However, there are certain methods that can be helpful if you want to get relief from the pain those sores are causing. Those treatment methods include mouthwashes, oral medications such as the ulcer drug sucralfate (Carafate) and the gout drug colchicine (Mitigare), and certain nutritional supplements.