Canker Sores Alert!

Canker sores are also called aphthous (af-thus) ulcers. They are sores inside the mouth. You may have canker sores on the inside of your lips and cheeks, or on your gums or tongue. It is common to have more than one. They are painful but are not harmful. Usually, canker sores heal in 2 weeks. You may get them more than once.

The cause of canker sores is not well understood. More than one cause is likely, even for individual patients. Canker sores do not appear to be caused by viruses or bacteria, although an allergy to a type of bacterium commonly found in the mouth may trigger them in some people. The sores may be an allergic reaction to certain foods. In addition, there is research suggesting that canker sores may be caused by a faulty immune system that uses the body’s defenses against disease to attack and destroy the normal cells of the mouth or tongue.

Canker sores are generally inside the mouth or the oral cavity and are not contagious. However, fever blisters mostly occur on the lips and outside of the mouth and are very contagious.

If you have canker sores:

Avoid abrasive foods such as potato chips that can stick in the cheek or gum and aggravate the sores.

Take care when brushing your teeth not to stab the gums or cheek with a toothbrush bristle.

Avoid acidic and spicy foods.

Canker sores are not contagious, so patients do not have to worry about spreading them to other people.

Toothpaste free of sodium lauryl sulfate and other ingredients that are irritating to the tissues inside the mouth can be helpful in some patients, as can a toothpaste that inhibits the growth of irritating plaque. Therefore, something as simple as changing toothpastes may help with recurrent canker sores.