How many times have you been brushing your teeth or eating a meal and you accidentally bite the inside of your cheek, or jam your toothbrush into your gum? After the initial sting wears off, you’re generally left with a kernel-sized white canker sore. And while not detrimental to your oral health, they can be painful and annoying…especially if they’re right inside a part of your mouth that moves and stretches while you eat and speak.
How many times have you bit down in the same spot before the sore heals, only to suffer disproportionate discomfort? Since so many of our patients are asking us about canker sores, we thought we would walk through what causes them, their prevention and any available treatment options.
Ouch! I bit my cheek…
The exact cause of canker sores is unknown; however, for anyone whose sore came about after a particularly nasty bite to the cheek, you know exactly the source of yours. In many other cases, though, stress or tissue injury is the cause of the canker sore.
The inside of your mouth is incredibly delicate, so any type of trauma—no matter how slight—can result in a painful white canker sore. If you find yourself with one, for starters it’s important to avoid acidic fruits and vegetables (that can create more pain and slow down the healing process).
Complex canker sores (which are multiple and much larger) are more serious and can be caused by an underlying health condition such as a nutritional deficiency, Celiac’s disease or Crohn’s disease. Complex canker sores can occur at any age, while simple canker sores usually affect those between 10-20 years old.
Canker sores have also been shown to have a familial aspect. If your parents were more susceptible, you could have a higher likelihood of getting canker sores.
Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire way to prevent a canker sore. But since they are caused frequently by stress, it’s important to get enough sleep, have a healthy diet and incorporate relaxation techniques into your daily routine.
Once you do have a canker sore, there are things you can do to prevent it getting worse. This might be music to your ears, if you’ve seen how much worse they can get! It’s important to brush your teeth frequently to remove any food particles that could irritate it as well as limit overly-acidic foods that could compound the problem.
Unlike cold sores, canker sores are not contagious. Therefore, no preventive measures will have to be taken with regards to sharing.
Treatment
The initial soreness should wear off within a couple of days; however, the sore could remain for up to two weeks. The best treatment is to eat bland foods that will ensure no future irritation.
While most canker sores do not need medical intervention, there are a few circumstances when you should give your dentist a call. First, call us if you have an unusually large canker sore or sores that are spreading. Or call us if you are suffering from intolerable pain or the canker sore lasts longer than three weeks. If you are experiencing these side effects, it’s important to seek care to confirm there is not something more serious going on.
Canker sores are typically just a nuisance; however, if you are concerned about yours or are getting them more frequently, give our office a call today so we can discuss!
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