Canker Sores Treatment

What are Canker Sores?
Canker sores (also known as Aphthous Stomatitis), are reddish painful sores in the mouth (sometimes covered in white colored coating). Canker sores are formed on the inside of the lips and cheeks, on the junction of the lips and gums, under the tongue etc.

Generally, people of all ages are at the risk of getting canker sores, but people between age group 20-30 are more prone to get them often. There are several reasons of why and how people suffer from canker sores including possible hereditary connections, work-load and stress, improper food habits, chemical changes in body, due to weakened immune system, menstrual periods in women, accidentally biting the chicks or gums etc.
Canker sores are also seen as early symptoms of some diseases such as infection of AIDS virus (HIV), Crohn's Disease, diseases related to intestine such as abdominal spruce, ulcerative colitis, Behcet Disease and many other diseases which are directly or indirectly related to human digestive system.

What are the symptoms of Canker Sores?
Onset/formation of small ulcers (sores) in the mouth (inside of the lips or bottom of the gums) is the first and foremost sign of canker sores.

There are three major forms of canker sores:
Regular: This type of sores are circular in shape and measure around 10 mm in diameter. They are also referred as minor canker sores as they clear off in 4 to 12 days.
Deep Canker Sores: Deep canker sores are bigger than 1 cm and take more than 3 weeks to cure (sometimes the duration extends to almost two months).
Herpetiform: This type of sores look like herpes infection and measure anywhere from 1 to 4 mm in diameter. Most of the time, a mesh is formed due to the multiple sores in the infected area.

When should I Seek Medical Attention:
Canker sores in any form (simple of complex) are very painful and are needed to be taken care of in a proper manner. You should seek medical attention if the ulcers last for more than a week. As already discussed Canker sores also may represent onset of diseases such as AIDS, digestive system related diseases etc, you should be watchful if the sores are recurring in nature.

Generally, the diagnosis of canker sores involves physical examination of the sores. After initial level of diagnosis, your doctor may prefer to observe your condition and confirm if the canker sores you are suffering are not related to herpes, cancer or any other infection.

The treatment of canker sores generally includes prescription of ointments to help patient ease the pain caused due to the canker sores, supplements such as vitamin B12, folic acid etc, numbing solutions to help patient minimize the pain while having food or sleeping, and other medications. As the duration during which canker sores mature is very painful, patient needs to take extra care of the sores.

How To Prevent Canker Sores?
There is nothing much you can do if canker sores are caused by some other infection to the body. But other than the possible onset of infections, you can look out for the following things to prevent canker sores:

Be extra careful about your eating habits. If you like to eat spicy food, be aware that extra spicy food can cause you trouble and you may experience sudden development of canker sores as a body's reaction.
Avoid talking while you eat, many a time bitten area turns into a painful canker sore.
Use soft toothbrush, smooth edged tongue cleaner and avoid using any sharp article that can cause injury to inside of the mouth.
Women who experience canker sores due to the hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can use oral contraceptives and other medications to avoid painful periods.
Avoid excess stress and try to relax yourself. It has been observed that the problem of canker sores is quite common in people who work under extreme pressure.
Avoid junk food and include fruits and vegetables in your diet. Almost 40% of the cases are due to some or other type of nutrient deficiency.