Browse by City / State:

My BEST Dentists Journal

The Weekly Top Ten Stories · All Time Top Stories · Today's Journal · Headlines

Everything you need to know about canker sores

Canker sores are easily identified in the mouth; they are a widespread, well-known condition.

Although they can be very uncomfortable, they are rarely a cause for concern.

In this article, we ask if there is anything that can be done to relieve canker sores, and if there are times when they require medical attention.

A canker sore is a type of mouth ulcer, known medically as an aphthous ulcer. Canker sores are one of the most common complaints of the mouth.

They can occur at any age but are more likely in younger adults and women.

Children as young as two years may develop canker sores, but they do not normally appear until adolescence.

Although most people only have occasional canker sores, around 20-30 percent of people have recurrent episodes.

Canker sores are sometimes split into two categories:

Simple canker sores: they appear 3-4 times a year; they generally occur in people aged 10-20, and last about one week.

Complex canker sores: less common, larger, and more painful. They may last up to one month and leave a scar. Complex canker sores are often due to an underlying condition, such as a compromised immune system, Crohn’s disease, or vitamin deficiency.

Causes

Researchers have not yet provided a scientific explanation of why canker sores develop; however, there are some factors that are known to be involved, including viral infection.

The causes of recurrent cases of canker sore – known as recurrent oral aphthous ulcers or recurrent aphthous stomatitis – are also unclear, although there are links with a number of factors including a family history of aphthous ulcers, and allergies.

Ulcers are sometimes associated with other conditions needing medical attention, such as inflammatory bowel disease, compromised immunity, allergies, and nutritional deficiency.

The following factors are thought to be involved in the development of canker sores:

1. Hormonal changes.

2. Physical trauma (damage to the lining of the mouth, such as during dental treatment).

3. Drugs

4. Food hypersensitivity – for instance, citrus fruits and tomatoes can trigger or worsen a canker sore.

5. Nutritional deficiencies, including iron, folic acid, zinc, and vitamin B12.

6. Stress

A report by the United States Surgeon General estimates that up to 25 percent of the general population are affected by recurrent canker sores, noting there may be higher numbers among selected groups, such as health professional students.

Symptoms

Canker sores cause local pain and can be easily irritated. In simple cases, these are the only symptoms, although the pain may cause feelings of being fed up with the mouth ulcer.

Common features of canker sores include:

Well-defined, round, smaller than a centimeter across, and usually shallow in the mouth’s lining – mucosal surface.

Sometimes there is a tingling sensation before they appear.

White or yellow-gray center surrounded by an inflammatory red margin.

Often fading to gray over time.

Normally in the front part of the mouth, on its floor, inside of the lip (labial mouth), inside of the cheeks (buccal), or under the front or sides of the tongue.

Sometimes affecting the gums and, relatively uncommonly, the surface of the back part of the mouth.

Typically persists for 1-2 weeks before healing.

In some, more severe cases, symptoms can include:

1. feeling sluggish

2. swollen lymph nodes

3. fever

Canker sores and cold sores are different conditions:

Canker sores appear as white circles with a red halo; cold sores are normally fluid-filled blisters.

Canker sores appear inside the mouth; cold sores appear outside the mouth- often under the nose, around the lips, or under the chin.

Canker sores are not contagious; cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and, more rarely, HSV-2 (the genital herpes virus). Cold sores are contagious.

Common canker sores usually heal without the need for medical treatment. More severe or recurrent cases may be eased by prescribed treatments, although these do not “cure” the ulcers.

The home remedy below is suggested by the U.S. Library of Medicine and can be followed three or four times a day:

Rinse with mild, over-the-counter mouthwash or salt water (do not swallow).

Make a mixture that is half hydrogen peroxide and half water.

Use a cotton swab to apply some of the mixture directly to the sore.

Dab a small amount of milk of magnesia on the sore.

So-called alternative therapies may also be worth trying. A review of the management of canker sores written for the journal American Family Physician, listed a number of options, although it noted that there had been no randomized controlled trials to properly test safety and efficacy:

Anecdotes of relief and better healing from sucking on zinc gluconate lozenges (sold for the common cold).

Vitamin C, vitamin B complex, and lysine “may speed healing when taken orally at the onset of lesions.”

Sage and chamomile mouthwash 4-6 times a day may help – infuse equal parts of the two herbs in water.

Carrot, celery, and cantaloupe juices “have been reported as helpful.”

(08/06/2020)
by UIC

More Information: https://www.mybestdentists.com/dental-schools/UniversityofIllinois

My BEST Dentists Journal Headlines