subject: What Causes Canker Sores? [print this page] Canker sores are a fairly common problem which presents in the form of sores on the inside of the mouth. The proper name for a canker sore, as your Palatine dentist might tell you, is an Aphthous ulcer. The strange thing about canker sores is that it remains yet unclear what exactly causes these sores to present. The good news is that while many people will have canker sores at some point in their life, they are not contagious. The sores are often painful, and may be present in the mouth or in the upper areas of the throat. It is estimated that recurrent canker sores are among the most common of all oral conditions, and one out of every ten people is affected by the problem.
Canker sores are usually gray, white, or yellow after they have fully formed. When they are first taking shape they may be simply a red or irritated spot, but when they open fully they will look lighter with an inflamed red boundary circling the sore. They can range in size from the very small to quite large, and the sores are classified in their severity according to size. Doctors separate them into what they call a minor ulceration, a major ulceration, and herpetiform ulcerations. The herpetiform occurs more commonly in women, and usually requires treatment. This is characterized by a small cluster of lesions.
The minor ulceration is between 3 and 10 mm in diameter. The good news is that minor ulcerations often only last a week and are not exceptionally serious. The major ulcerations are similar, but are larger than 10mm. Healing time for a major ulceration may be a month or more, and scarring is frequently a result.
No one has been able to fully ascertain what causes canker sores. There are many causes which various bodies feel increases a person's risk of developing the sores, but no exact cause has been isolated. They have been linked to lack of sleep and weight loss, as well as to certain allergies and immune reactions. Citrus fruits are thought to aggravate their development, and physical trauma has been observed to result in the sores as well. Trauma is the most common identifiable cause of the sores.
There are many different treatments recommended for canker sores, including antiseptics, silver nitrate, B12, hydrocortisone, and many other substances have all been used with various effects in the treatment of canker sores. Consult a dentist or doctor for treatment recommendations if you have these sores.
