Let's talk about canker sores: once in a lifetime everyone has had annoying, small, ulcer-like sores in the mouth that cause burning and, in some cases, real pain

Causes and remedies of mouth and tongue canker sores

By Cristiano Antonino On Oct 16, 2022

Let’s talk about canker sores: once in a lifetime everyone has had annoying, small, ulcer-like sores in the mouth that cause burning and, in some cases, real pain

These are canker sores, round or oval, usually no larger than 1 centimeter, form inside the oral cavity, particularly on the mucosa of the cheeks and palate, inside the lips or on the sides of the tongue.

What are canker sores

Canker sores are small ‘ulcers,’ a symptom of an autoinflammatory reaction.

They do not result from an infection due to a virus or bacteria, which is why they are not contagious, but from a particular sensitivity of the body to a number of factors, including stress.

They can occur on:

tongue
mucous membranes of the mouth
inside of the lips
hard and/or soft palate.

They occur at all ages, even in children.

Causes of mouth and tongue canker sores

It is not known exactly why they occur.

Sometimes they are sporadic and occur as a result of ingestion of irritating foods; other times, however, they may be manifestations of a disease, such as recurrent aphthous stomatitis, which affects any age group up to about age 40 or 50. Even the immunocompromised or those undergoing chemotherapy therapies can be affected.

They can also appear if one uses braces or dentures/manufactures that ‘scrape’ soft tissues, such as tongue and/or cheeks, or if one brushes too vigorously and rubs periodontal tissues traumatically.

More often than not, however, they are confused with trivial and isolated injuries, caused inadvertently during chewing, which usually have a totally different course and symptomatology than aphthous lesions.

But beware: deficiency of vitamins and minerals can also be the cause of canker sores

If you are following a very restrictive diet or otherwise lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables, which are essential for the proper functioning of the body, you may predispose to the onset of such lesions.

In particular, this can be brought about by a lack of zinc, iron, folic acid and vitamin B12.

Major gum inflammation or tooth decay, caused by insufficient oral hygiene, can also be accompanied by mouth ulcers.

Here in any case, they should be a wake-up call to delve into exogenous triggering events and find the right remedy.

Foods that can cause canker sores

The intake of certain foods can lead to canker sores in the mouth and on the tongue, such as:

irritating foods (spicy and peppery or too savory);
chocolate;
alcohol;
foods that are too fatty (cheese, fried foods);
dried fruits.

What are the symptoms

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Canker sores can become very annoying and disabling especially if several appear at the same time and if they also affect the tongue, as they present severe burning at the symptom level.

How to treat mouth ulcers

Protective gels can be used, to soothe discomfort and pain, and antiseptic products in mouthwash or gel, which reduce colonization of the lesions by mouth microbes that would delay healing, as well as ‘touching’ the lesions with hydrogen peroxide.

If the discomfort is intense or does not go away within 2 weeks, it is a good idea to get advice from your primary care physician or dentist for possible treatment targeted at the problem.