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About
What are canker sores?
Canker sores are shallow, painful sores in your mouth that are usually red and may sometimes have a white coating
over them. Canker sores often appear on the inside of your lips and cheeks, the base of your gums or under your tongue.
Canker sores are different from fever blisters, which are usually on the outside of your lips or the corners of your
mouth.
What causes canker sores?
Doctors do not know what causes canker sores, but they may be triggered by physical or psychological stress, poor
nutrition, food allergies, viral or bacterial infection, chemical irritations, menstrual periods and trauma. Also
orthodontic appliances, for example braces, cause canker sores.
Who suffers from canker sores?
Anyone can get canker sores, however, women, teens and people in their 20s suffer from canker sores most frequently.
Canker sores are not contagious.
Treatment
What can you do when you get canker sores?
Aphthasol is the only FDA - approved medicament that helps you manage your canker sores. Early treatment is the
key to a fast healing. So don't hesitate, see your Doctor today to get a prescription for Aphthasol, reduce pain and get
relief now!
Prevention
What can you do to prevent canker sores?
Unfortunately, doctors don't know of anything that prevents canker sores from forming. Using a toothpaste that does
not contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or other irritating ingredients, avoiding hard, crunchy or spicy foods and
chewing gum may help reduce mouth irritation. Brushing your teeth after meals, using a soft toothbrush and flossing
every day will also keep your mouth free of food that might cause a canker sore.
Canker Sores vs. Cold Sores
Telling the difference between cold & canker sores
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Cold Sores / Fever Blisters (Herpes) |
Canker Sores (aphthous ulcers) |
| Definition |
Cold sores (aka fever blisters), are clusters of small blisters on the lip and outer edge of the mouth. The skin around the blisters is often red and inflamed. The blisters can break open, weep a clear fluid, and then scab over after a few days. Complete healing may take 7 to 10 days. |
Canker sores are small shallow ulcers that appear in the mouth and often make it uncomfortable to eat and talk. The exact cause of most canker sores is unknown. Stress or tissue injury is thought to be one. Certain foods - including citrus or acidic fruits and vegetables (such as lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes, strawberries) - can trigger a canker sore or make the problem worse. Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like Motrin, is another common cause. Sometimes a sharp tooth surface or dental appliance, such as braces or ill-fitting dentures, can also trigger canker sores. Some cases of canker sores are caused by an underlying health condition, such as an impaired immune system; nutritional problems, such as vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron deficiency; and gastrointestinal tract disease, such as Celiac disease and Crohn's disease. |
| Symptoms |
You can be infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) and have no symptoms. For some people, cold sores can be painful. Initial symptoms may include mouth soreness, fever, sore throat, or swollen lymph glands. Small children sometimes drool before a cold sore appears. After the cold sores develop, blisters usually break open, weep clear fluid, and then crust over and disappear after several days to a week. |
A painful sore or sores inside your mouth - on the tongue, soft palate (the back portion of the roof of your mouth), or inside your cheeks.
A tingling or burning sensation prior to the appearance of the sores.
Sores in your mouth that are round, white, or gray in color, with a red edge or border.
Severe attacks may include fever, physical sluggishness and swollen lymph nodes.
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| Diagnosis |
Your health professional can diagnose cold sores by asking you questions to determine whether you have been exposed to the HSV and by examining you. No further testing is usually needed. |
Your health care professional can diagnose canker sores by asking you questions and by examining you. No further testing is usually needed. |
| Treatment |
Cold sores will usually go away on their own within a few days. However, if they are severe or cause you embarrassment or discomfort, cold sores can be treated. Treatment may include topical creams or ointments or sometimes antiviral medicines (such as acyclovir or famciclovir). Treatment may lessen the duration of the cold sores by 1 to 2 days, but can help soothe pain or other uncomfortable symptoms. There is no know cure for the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that causes cold sores. If sores develop regularly, treatment can reduce the number and severity of outbreaks. |
If sores are large, painful, or persistent, your dentist may prescribe an antimicrobial mouth rinse, a corticosteroid ointment, or a prescription or nonprescription solution to reduce the pain and irritation. |
| How they are Spread |
The herpes simplex virus (HSV) usually enters your body through a break in the skin around or inside your mouth. It is spread through coughing, sneezing, direct contact with a cold sore, or touching contaminated fluid-such as from kissing an infected person and touching their saliva. The virus can also be spread from one person to an area of someone else's body by touching an active cold sore or sharing things that a person who has a cold sore has used. A parent who has a cold sore often spreads the infection to his or her child. |
Canker Sores are not contagious. |
Where can I get more information about Canker-Sores?
Ask your personal Healthcare Professional to get more information about canker sores!
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