What Are These Nasty Little Things?

Also known as 'Aphthous Ulcers', canker sores are small painful ulcers that can appear on the tongue, the lips, the gums or on the insides of the cheek of your mouth. A sore begins as a red spot which then becomes covered with a mixture of fluids, bacteria and white blood cells. The development of the sore may be preceded by a burning or tingling sensation.

Canker sores do not form blisters as do cold sores (Herpes Simplex I) and are NOT Herpes. They range in size from small pinhead size to the size of a quarter. They can appear suddenly and often suddenly disappear. Sometimes they may last only 24 hours. Usually they hang around from a couple days to 3 weeks. Some experts believe these painful mouth irritations are contagious, but others disagree.

Canker sores occur most often in females for some reason. They can be contributed to a number of factors, including poor dental hygiene, food allergies, premenstrual syndrome, a viral infection, trauma (such as biting the inside of your check or tongue), stress and fatigue. They are also occasionally associated with vitamin deficiencies. Stress is, however, probably the most common cause of these sores. For more on 'Stress Management', check out that article.

A health care provider will sometimes prescribe a mouthwash that contains antibiotics. Rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater often speeds up healing. Never use more than one teaspoon of salt per glass of warm water, and DO NOT swallow this mixture. If you have a ulcer in your mouth that does not heal, consult your dentist, especially if you are a smoker.