What Causes Canker Sores?
No one knows exactly what causes canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers. Many factors are thought to put a person at risk for them. Diet may play a part. People whose diets are low in folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron seem to develop canker sores more often, as do people
Mouth injuries (like biting the inside of the lip or even brushing too hard and damaging the delicate lining inside the mouth) also seem to bring on canker sores. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), an ingredient in many toothpastes and mouthwashes, has been linked to canker sores, and sometimes the sores can be a sign of an immune system problem.
Even emotional stress could be a factor. One study of college students showed that they had more canker sores during stressful periods, such as around exam time.
Who Gets Canker Sores?
About 1 in 5 people regularly get bothersome canker sores, which can make eating, drinking, and even brushing teeth a real pain. Young people in their teens and early twenties seem to get them most often, and women are twice as likely to develop them as men. Some girls and women find that they get canker sores at the start of their menstrual periods.
Although canker sores aren't contagious, the tendency to have outbreaks of canker sores can run in a family.
Symptoms of Canker Sores
Canker sores appear inside of the mouth as round or oval sores typically with a red border and yellow, gray, or white center.
Canker sores typically develop:
On the top surface of the tongue and the tip of the tongue
Underneath the tongue, on the floor of the mouth
The inside of the cheek and lip
On the gum tissue
One to two days before appearing visually, a burning or tingling sensation may be present in the area of your mouth where the lesion is developing.
Rarely, a fever might be present when developing a canker sore.
Canker sores may become quite painful, especially when eating, drinking .......
