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Canker Sores


Canker sores are small, painful and persistent ulcers that develop inside the mouth. Although canker sores are small, they can cause simple activities like talking or eating to be extremely painful.

Canker sores, also known as aphthous stomatitis or aphthous ulcers, occur on the tongue, on the soft palate, inside the cheeks or lips, and at the base of the gums. They are round, white or yellow with a red outline, and typically approximately one quarter of an inch in diameter. Canker sores are not synonymous with cold sores because, unlike cold sores, canker sores occur on the internal soft tissues of the mouth and are not contagious.

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Causes and Risk Factors

There is not an explicit cause of canker sores despite the fact that they are highly common. Here are some factors that can contribute to the development of such sores:

Injury inside the mouth: The tender skin inside the mouth can become injured from factors such as braces, tough foods including nuts, or aggressively brushing teeth. People who habitually bite or chew the skin inside their mouth can also develop canker sores.
Stress: This factor could partially explain why canker sores appear right before highly stressful days including days of exams and days of weddings.
Hereditary: In some cases, canker sores are observed to be an inherited trait among families.
Immunological disorders: Nutritional imbalance and a deficiency of Vitamin B-12, folic acid, zinc or iron can also cause the formation of canker sores. Disorders in the gastrointestinal tract including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's and other inflammatory bowel diseases are also known to cause canker sores.
Allergies: canker sores can be caused by allergies to certain foods.
Hormonal imbalance: some women develop canker sores during their menstrual period.


Although people of all ages may be affected by canker sores, they are more commonly observed among people who are 10-40 years of age.

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