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A Crash Course in Canker Sores
Skin Care - Canker Sores
A Crash Course in Canker Sores

Canker sores are also referred to as aphthous ulcers. Women are more prone to developing canker sores than men. They usually first appear between the 10 and 40 years of age. The development of canker sores vary: some may get it only once in their life, while others may experience recurring episodes of canker sores all throughout their lives. Canker sores are not very serious health conditions, but they can be very annoying. Severe attacks of canker sores may be accompanied by listlessness, fever, and swelling of the glands.

As of today, there is no known cause yet of canker sores. However, some experts think that the tendency to develop canker sores may be hereditary. This means that if your parents or any of your relatives have a predisposition to recurring canker sore episodes, you may be prone to that too. Braces or dentures can also cause the appearance of these sores. Some also suspect that food can be the cause of canker sores. Hormones may also be a factor – some women report that they have these sores before they get their menstrual periods. Stress and fatigue can also be blamed because some people get sores during periods of extreme stress. Deficiency of vitamins such as vitamin B12, folic acid, and iron can also make a person susceptible to this disease.

The symptoms are usually the formation of small sores that appear to be white or yellow in the center with some redness at the edges. It can appear anywhere on the skin inside the mouth: tongue, soft palate, gums, or the surfaces inside the cheeks and the lips. Canker sores may appear in clusters or singly. Often, a person experiences extreme pain when something grazes at these sores.