Some people are regularly plagued by painful mouth sores. These sores, canker sores, occur in both young people and adults. The cause is not entirely clear, but they do not cause permanent health damage.

Canker sores are blisters or sores in the mouth with a diameter of three to four millimeters. They are gray-white or thick yellow spots with a red inflamed edge. Canker sores appear on the inside of the lips, cheeks, or under the tongue. They cause a stabbing pain when eating acidic or hot food. Some people feel a canker sore coming on beforehand. They recognize the painful feeling that comes with it. Sometimes the oral mucosa also looks red.

Unfortunately, the cause of canker sores is unclear. They often arise with reduced physical resistance, poor oral hygiene, hypersensitivity to certain foods or stress. They can be caused by biting the tongue or the inside of the cheek, but also by eating hot food. Sometimes canker sores are the result of a sharp edge on a tooth or molar or ill-fitting dentures. Canker sores are not caused by a vitamin deficiency. That's a misunderstanding.

The larger the sore is, the longer it will take to heal. After two weeks, the canker sore should be gone.

Stay away from the canker sores. Breaking the blisters exacerbates the symptoms. If you brush carefully and eat slowly, you will prevent the canker sores from spreading. Some toothpastes and mouthwashes are claimed to be effective against canker sores, but there is no scientific evidence for this.

See your dentist if the canker sores have not gone away after two weeks. Also ask for advice if you often suffer from it. Inform your dentist if you think your canker sores are caused by sharp edges on your teeth or ill-fitting dentures.

There is no medicine with a guaranteed effect. To relieve the pain somewhat, the dentist can prescribe a remedy. Some people benefit from chlorhexidine antiseptic mouthwashes. This is a disinfectant that reduces the number of bacteria in the mouth. For that reason, the rinses can have a beneficial effect on canker sores. However, these remedies do not accelerate healing. In addition, the use can be painful.

Canker sores are sometimes extremely painful, but not threatening to health. Only a combination of aphthous ulcers and a high fever can lead to an infectious disease. Then consult your dentist.