Canker Sore
A canker sore or aphthous ulcer
is a skin lesion that occurs inside the mouth.
Symptoms of Canker Sore
The symptoms of canker sores are:
- Sores inside the mouth
- White or gray in color
- White circle or halo around the sore
- Pain
Causes of Canker Sore
The exact cause of canker sores is not known. The following factors
are thought to play a role in the development of this condition:
- Deficiencies in vitamin B12, folate or folic acid, and iron
- Injury to the area, such as accidental biting
- Dental work
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Menstruation
Mouth sores can also be associated with the following diseases:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Behçet's disease
- Immunity disorder causing skin to blister (bullous pemphigoid,
pemphigus vulgaris, and paraneoplastic pemphigus)
Treatment of Canker Sore
Canker sores usually go away by themselves within 2 weeks, with
most pain going away after 3 or 4 days.
Treatments for this condition include:
- Warm salt water and antiseptic rinse to ease the pain
- Avoiding spicy foods that can irritate a healing sore
- Prescription topical corticosteroids to ease the pain and
speed healing
- Note that even with these treatments, canker sores may recur
in some people.