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Fortunately, a canker sore is usually a fairly short-lived misery, and there are a few home remedies you can employ to find some temporary relief.
First, however, you need to be able to tell the difference between a canker sore and a cold sore, or fever blister, which is caused by the herpes virus. A cold sore often begins as several tiny blisters that eventually form one larger sore. They appear most often on the lips and face.
In contrast, canker sores usually travel alone. And unlike a sore caused by the herpes virus, a canker sore is not contagious. A canker sore has a yellow or white-gray center with a well-defined red border. It generally measures three to five millimeters in diameter and is usually located on the inside of the lip or cheek or, less commonly, on the tongue. They hurt like the dickens, but usually they're not serious. The most painful phase lasts about three to four days, and the sores go away in about ten days.
(Note: Any white spot in your mouth that persists longer than ten days should be checked by your dentist or doctors, as it may indicate a serious medical condition.)
What causes canker sores? No one knows for sure, though they frequently afflict people who are fatigued or stressed out or who have poor diets. Not surprisingly, canker sores often crop up in the mouths of students taking final exams. Medical evidence also suggests that people taking certain drugs for rheumatoid arthritis may be more prone to developing cankers. And heredity is a factor, too. If both your parents were canker sore sufferers, there's a 90 percent chance you will be, too. Cankers may also occur as a result of a minor injury in the mouth, such as from a slip of the toothbrush or a jab from a taco shell. Certain foods, such as spicy dishes and citrus fruits, have also taken some of the blame.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Citrus fruits may be among the causes of canker sores. |
Read on for home remedies that can provide relief so you don't have to be cranky from canker sores.
For more information on remedies for conditions affecting the mouth, try the following links:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- Home Remedies for Cold Sores gives helpful advice for another type of sore that develops around the mouth.
- For tips on keeping your mouth clean and healthy, read How Oral Hygiene Works.
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