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Canker Sores

Canker sores are non-contagious sores which appear on and around your tongue and gums, as well as on the inside of your lips and cheeks.  They are round, shallow sores with a red border and white or yellow center.  They usually appear in groups, and are accompanied with swelling and stinging pain.  They last until about a week before healing. 

Leading causes include injury to your mouth such as by biting your tongue or lip and bruising it with dental appliances, as reaction to acidic foods or drinks you take; being emotionally or physically stressed and fatigued; not getting enough vitamins and minerals; skipping meals; not getting enough sleep; or as an accompaniment to a woman’s menstrual cycle.

In order to avoid caner sores, you must first identify what is causing them, and address that cause.  To be safe, however, it is best to keep proper oral hygiene, to adopt healthy eating and sleeping habits; and to take vitamin and mineral supplements.  In unavoidable circumstances, you may at least relieve the pain by avoiding acidic foods and drinks, eating soft and bland foods, using a straw for drinking, putting ice against the sores to numb out the pain, never touching the sores, rinsing your mouth with salt solution, and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs.

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