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Canker sores, also termed Aphthous ulcers, are small lesions on the soft tissues either inside the lips or at the base of the gums. They are a type of mouth sores and are non-contagious. However, they can be painful and make eating and talking relatively tricky.
These sores are usually small, measuring up to less than 1 mm, but they can sometimes measure up to 1 inch in diameter. It presents as a white or yellowish mouth sore followed by a red border outside. The tissues surrounding the area of these sores are generally inflamed.
Although these are very uncomfortable, they hardly pose a serious concern. Usually, after two weeks, these sores resolve on their own. Although these develop at any age group, they are more common in people in their teens or young adults.
There are three types of canker sores, which are as follows:
These are the most common type of sores and are painful. They generally resolve on their own without any scarring. It takes around 1 to 2 weeks to heal completely.
Some of the most commonly encountered symptoms associated with minor canker sores comprise:
Major canker sores are less common than minor canker sores and can also produce more severe symptoms as they are larger in size and situated deeper. They generally take up to 4 to 6 weeks to heal and result in scarring also.
Symptoms of significant canker sores include:
Herpetiform canker sores are very uncommon and develop later in life. Among people who present with canker sores, only about 5 per cent are affected by this type.
They are pin-point size in appearance, and in rare cases, they can merge and form ulcers. If this occurs, it may take several weeks to heal and increase the risk of scarring.
Some possible symptoms of herpetiform canker sores comprise of:
Canker sores are often misinterpreted as cold sores. But they both are different. Canker sores are non-contagious, whereas cold sores are contagious as they are caused by viruses and spread through close contact with each other, like kissing or oral sex.
Common symptoms include:
In severe cases, symptoms include
There are several factors responsible for causing canker sores which are as follows:
Apart from the factors mentioned earlier, various other conditions responsible for causing canker sores are as follows:
Canker sores are diagnosed through physical examination only. No specific test is required to confirm it. A blood test can be conducted to look for any possible vitamin deficiency.
Sometimes, a cancerous lesion may be interpreted as a canker sore, but it won't heal without treatment. Some of the symptoms of oral cancer are similar to those of canker sores, like painful ulcers and swelling in the neck region. However, oral cancer is often indicated by unusual symptoms, including:
If an individual experiences these symptoms along with canker sore symptoms, it is often recommended to consult the doctor to rule out oral cancer as a cause.
Generally, no particular treatment is required to cure canker sores. But in case it gets uncomfortable and painful for the patient, then the doctor can advise the following:
If canker sores do not heal in a week or so, then a person may experience several complications, which are as follows:
Reviewed by Dr. Anurag Singh, Principal Consultant - Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Implantologist, Dental Care, Maxillofacial Surgery and Implantology on 20-Mar-2023.
Max Healthcare is home to 4800+ eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective fields. Additionally, they are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary clinical procedures.
Max Healthcare is home to 4800+ eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective fields. Additionally, they are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary clinical procedures.
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