Canker sores are extremely common, often painful, and rarely associated with serious disease, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Technically called “aphthous stomatitis,” canker sores are little ulcers that occur inside the mouth on movable structures such as the tongue and lining of the cheeks and lips.
Nobody knows what causes them, though allergies to foods like nuts or tomatoes or to a bacterium found in the mouth may be triggers. Unlike fever blisters (cold sores), which occur in the gums or near the outside of the mouth and are caused by the herpes simplex virus, canker sores are not triggered by viruses or bacteria. They can be caused by dental procedures or other irritation in the mouth, by stress and, in women, may occur at certain phases of the menstrual cycle.
“Although some people worry that canker sores may be a sign of oral cancer, true canker sores are not linked to cancer,” said Dr. Donna Mager [cq], a dentist at the Forsyth Institute in Boston. Canker sores usually heal within about two weeks.
But if you have a mouth sore that doesn’t heal, you should see a dentist because it may not be a canker sore but a look-alike problem associated Crohn’s disease, celiac disease or even oral cancer, said Dr. Timothy F. Meiller [cq], a professor at the University of Maryland Dental School.
To relieve the pain of canker sores, the American Academy of Family Physicians suggests ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can also try topical, over-the-counter remedies such as Anbesol, Orajel or Orabase. For really stubborn canker sores, prescription steroids may be required.