Canker sores are a type of mouth ulcer. Some of the medical terms used to refer to canker sores are "recurrent minor aphthous ulcers" and "recurrent minor aphthous stomatitis" (thus differentiating canker sores from other forms of aphthous ulcers or aphthous stomatitis). Canker sores are the most commonly occurring type of mouth ulcer.
Canker sores are small ulcer craters in the lining of the mouth that are frequently painful and sensitive. About 20% of the population (1 out of 5) people have canker sores at any one time. Canker sores are also medically known as aphthous ulcers.
What Causes Canker Sores?
No one is certain what causes canker sores. They often first appear between the ages of 10 and 20, although they can occur at any time in a person's life. One thing that doctors have noticed is that although the sores are not contagious, they can run in families.
Canker sores can run in families. They may also be linked to problems with the body's immune (defense) system. The sores may occur after a mouth injury due to dental work, aggressive tooth cleaning, or biting the tongue or cheek.
Canker sores can be triggered by emotional stress, dietary deficiencies (especially iron, folic acid, or Vitamin B-12), menstrual periods, hormonal changes, food allergies, and similar situations. They occur most commonly with viral infections. In some cases, the cause can not be identified.
Symptoms of Canker Sores
Most canker sores are round or oval with a white or yellow center and a red border. They form inside your mouth — on or under your tongue (soft palate), inside your cheeks or lips, and at the base of your gums. You might notice a tingling or burning sensation a day or two before the sores actually appear.
Can Canker Sores Be Prevented?
Although there is no cure for canker sores and they often reoccur, you may be able to reduce their frequency by:
Avoiding foods that irritate your mouth – including acidic or spicy foods
Avoiding irritation from gum chewing
How are canker sores treated?
Canker sores usually go away without any treatment. For pain relief, you can try taking ibuprofen (brand name: Advil) or acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol). Other medicines, such as Anbesol, Orajel, Orabase and Zilactin-B, might keep your canker sores from becoming irritated by eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. These medicines are applied directly on the sore.
The aphthous ulcer appears as a white or yellow oval with an inflamed red border. Sometimes a white circle or halo around the lesion can be observed. The grey-, white-, or yellow-colored area within the red boundary is due to the formation of layers of fibrin, a protein involved in the clotting of blood.
Medical Treatment
Applying certain steroid salves directly to the sore is effective if you use the salve early in an attack. If over-the-counter medications do not help, a common prescription consists of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid, in a sticking dental paste (Kenalog in Orabase). Typically, you apply the paste to the lesions three times daily. More recently, doctors have prescribed amlexanox (Aphthasol).
Canker sores are small ulcer craters in the lining of the mouth that are frequently painful and sensitive. About 20% of the population (1 out of 5) people have canker sores at any one time. Canker sores are also medically known as aphthous ulcers.
What Causes Canker Sores?
No one is certain what causes canker sores. They often first appear between the ages of 10 and 20, although they can occur at any time in a person's life. One thing that doctors have noticed is that although the sores are not contagious, they can run in families.
Canker sores can run in families. They may also be linked to problems with the body's immune (defense) system. The sores may occur after a mouth injury due to dental work, aggressive tooth cleaning, or biting the tongue or cheek.
Canker sores can be triggered by emotional stress, dietary deficiencies (especially iron, folic acid, or Vitamin B-12), menstrual periods, hormonal changes, food allergies, and similar situations. They occur most commonly with viral infections. In some cases, the cause can not be identified.
Symptoms of Canker Sores
Most canker sores are round or oval with a white or yellow center and a red border. They form inside your mouth — on or under your tongue (soft palate), inside your cheeks or lips, and at the base of your gums. You might notice a tingling or burning sensation a day or two before the sores actually appear.
Can Canker Sores Be Prevented?
Although there is no cure for canker sores and they often reoccur, you may be able to reduce their frequency by:
Avoiding foods that irritate your mouth – including acidic or spicy foods
Avoiding irritation from gum chewing
How are canker sores treated?
Canker sores usually go away without any treatment. For pain relief, you can try taking ibuprofen (brand name: Advil) or acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol). Other medicines, such as Anbesol, Orajel, Orabase and Zilactin-B, might keep your canker sores from becoming irritated by eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. These medicines are applied directly on the sore.
The aphthous ulcer appears as a white or yellow oval with an inflamed red border. Sometimes a white circle or halo around the lesion can be observed. The grey-, white-, or yellow-colored area within the red boundary is due to the formation of layers of fibrin, a protein involved in the clotting of blood.
Medical Treatment
Applying certain steroid salves directly to the sore is effective if you use the salve early in an attack. If over-the-counter medications do not help, a common prescription consists of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid, in a sticking dental paste (Kenalog in Orabase). Typically, you apply the paste to the lesions three times daily. More recently, doctors have prescribed amlexanox (Aphthasol).
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