What are Canker Sores

You might have experienced these little sores in your mouth.  You might notice that not only are they bothersome, they are often kind of painful. They often sometimes just show up and often they’re definitely not wanted. However, you might ask your Eugene Oregon dentist, or you might do your research yourself on what it is.  This article will tell you everything that you need to know about canker sores.

These sores are very small ulcers that are within the mouth, cheeks, tongue, and even lips.  This can make it very hard for the person to talk, to eat food and drink drinks, and it can be kind of painful when you have acidic foods.  The flesh of this if often white and tender, and there is red skin surrounding it.  however, these are not contagious compared to other sores.

Often, women are twice as likely to get these sores than men.  These often occur between the ages of 10-20, but they can appear earlier.  Anyone however can be affected by canker sores, and some of the earliest reports have been in people as early as two years old.

However, the cause of canker sores is unknown, but it’s been proven that many citrus fruits can trigger it, and if you eat them in excess it can cause this. Additionally, some sugary foods cause them to show up as well.  Damage from dental appliances, biting of your tongue and cheek, and improper dentures can cause this as well.  A diet lacking in vitamin B-12 can cause this too, which is a vitamin found in many eggs, seafood, and diary.

You might wonder what the difference between a canker and a cold sore are.  Well, canker sores occur in the mouth and don’t have a cause.  However, cold sores are viral and very contagious. Unlike canker sores, cold sores can occur out of the mouth and they are filled with a fluid, making it look like a blister.  Often, these tend to scab over when they heal as well.

If you’re wondering if a canker sore is dangerous, it’s important to note that it is not.  However, these can be very uncomfortable and painful. The good thing about this though is that it shouldn’t occur more than a couple of times a year. If you get a lot of them, do keep in mind that it might be a bigger health issue, so you should talk to your doctor if that is something that happens quite a bit to you.

You can most of the time treat a canker sore by leaving it alone and letting it disappear on its own.  If you need immediately healing and quicker healing, you can go to your dentist and have it removed by a laser. If you are bothered by these a lot, you might use a canker sore mouthwash if that is something you must worry about.  Really, the biggest thing is your diet.  Don’t have highly citrus or sugary items, and these are important to watch out for.  If you have a lot of these, it can continue to aggravate it.  you should make sure that you’re careful with your appliances, because it could further damage the area.  Do make sure that you continue to engage in preventative oral care, such as brushing your teeth after every meal and flossing once a day so that you don’t get further food particles in there.  If it doesn’t improve on its own after about two weeks, you should definitely go see your doctor in order to further the diagnosis that you have.

Ultimately, treating a canker sore is easy to do. You can let them go away on their own, and while they aren’t contagious, they can be annoying.  This article gave you some information on how to do so, so that you can consult your Eugene Oregon dentist in order to have the best results that you possibly can. Canker sores can be kind of annoying, but with the proper care, and the right kinds of treatment, you’ll be able to do away with this kind of sore no matter what happens next, and in a timely manner as well.