Friday 13 May 2011

Canker Sores

The medical term used to describe canker sores is aphthous ulcers or aphthous stomatitis. They have an ulcer like structure that are formed on various parts of the mouth. Canker sores on gums, tongue, on inner part of the cheek and lips are most common. So far, the exact canker sores causes are not clear to the medical world. Due to some unknown reasons, women are at a higher risk of getting this problem as compared to men. It can happen to people of any age group. You can find canker sores in children and teenagers as well.

Canker Sores Causes and Symptoms

If the inside part of your mouth got any kind of injury due to dental work, biting of the cheek, brushing with hard brushes or during some sports activities, then canker sores may develop on the injury site. In general, eating spicy foods or acidic foods can cause these kind of sores. Even hot food can do the same. Some people are sensitive particularly towards certain foods like chocolate, eggs, strawberry, cheese, nuts, caffeine. When they eat any of these foods, then canker sores tend to develop inside the mouth.

For those who get canker sores repeatedly, it could be a hereditary condition. Or else, it is a symptom of any inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease. It is an indication that the bowel disease is worsening further. Nutritional deficiency particularly that of iron, vitamin C, vitamin B12 or folic acid are also associated with this problem. Diseases that affect the immune system like lupus and Behcet's disease, bacterial infection, allergies, side effects of some medicines, hormonal imbalances, mental stress, certain component of toothpaste or mouthwash are the other causes that can trigger this problem.

Initially, when the sore first appear, they are almost round in shape and white or gray in color. There is also a red halo surrounding the gray part. Within a day or two, the sore get ruptured and get covered by a white membrane. At a time, one or more number of sores may develop. The size of the sores may vary in between one to ten millimeters. Depending on the size, the entire mouth become extremely painful and sensitive that can make normal activities like talking or eating bothersome. It may be accompanied by other symptoms like fever, swelling in the lymph nodes and fatigue.

Canker Sores Treatment

Most canker sores heal up on their own within one or two weeks and do not require any treatment. Till that time, certain topical medicines can be used to provide relief from the discomfort associated with it. Doctors prescribe medicated mouth rinses and toothpastes that can help in faster healing of the canker sores. In some cases, antibiotics and steriods are given for oral administration but most of the time they are avoided due to their adverse side effects. Nutritional supplements are recommended in cases of deficiency of some nutrients in the body. Sometimes, canker sores causes and treatment are inter-related. In other words, when canker sores have occurred due to some major health problems, then the underlying health disorder need to be treated in order to get rid of the sores. Learn more on how to treat canker sores.

Hope you have got a clear idea about various canker sores causes. Many people often have this query in their mind 'is canker sores contagious?'. For them, I would like to say that canker sores may look like herpes or fever blisters, but these two are totally different. Unlike fever blisters, canker sores are neither caused by any virus nor they are contagious.

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