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Canker Sore On Gums: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Canker sore on gums may happen for various reasons. It is so common, dentists have all the resources to know what caused it and how to treat it. Big or small mouth sores wherever in your gums, Dr. Jack from the IDC clinic can look after your gum health. And yet, even if sores are small inside the mouth, they can be very painful. Home remedies can help treat and ease the symptoms.

 

What are Canker Sores?

Canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers or mouth sores, show up as minor, painful inflammation on the lips or anywhere inside the mouth. Unlike a cold sore that can appear outside the mouth, a canker sore can only notice inside your mouth.

The small painful sores are coated by a combination of fluids, white blood cells, and microorganisms. They commonly have a gray, white, or yellowish film with a red line.

In the early phases, the canker sores may show up as tiny red spots. Sometimes, they can be pretty much as extensive as a quarter. As a canker sore is developing, it is common to experience irritation, burning, and tingling sensations around the affected area.

 

Symptoms of Mouth Sores

If you have a canker sore, you may experience the following:

  • A tingling or burning sensation before the presence of the canker sores.
  • An excruciating sore or sores within your mouth, including your tongue, cheeks, soft palate, or the roof of your mouth.
  • Sores that are round, gray, or white in color, with a red border or lining.

In severe cases, you may also encounter:

  • Physical sluggishness.
  • Fever.
  • Swollen lymph nodes. This is particularly evident if you get repetitive aphthous stomatitis.

 

Types of A Canker Sore

The three types of canker sores can be distinguished by their shape, size, and pain level:

 

Minor Canker Sores

Minor sores are the most well-known sort, affecting over 80% of sore victims. Attributes of minor canker sores:

  • Usually under 5 mm in diameter
  • Do not need treatment
  • Do not scar
  • They usually heal in seven to fourteen days

 

Major Canker Sores

The man is checking his canker sore on his gums.Major sores are more extreme and appear less usually than minor sores. Qualities of major canker sores incorporate:

  • Often require treatment
  • They are a lot greater than minor canker sores with more than one centimeter in diameter.
  • Can keep going for weeks or months
  • Typically very painful
  • Do not heal for at least fourteen days
  • Possible for scar formation

 

Herpetiform Canker Sores

Herpetiform canker sores are a rare type of canker sore. Characteristics of herpetiform canker sores include:

  • May require treatment
  • Appear like a bunch of small sores
  • Typically very excruciating
  • Individual sores are not exactly a couple of millimeters in diameter
  • Small canker sores frequently form into bigger ulcers
  • Heal in around one month

 

What Causes Canker Sores?

The reason for canker sores is hard to pinpoint. However, they could be connected to food hypersensitivities, acidic conditions, oral health propensities, or even a tiny cut. Furthermore, women are more likely to have canker sores, yet the reason behind this is unknown.

The following are the common causes of canker sores:

 

Oral Injuries

Canker sores may form after getting dental work. Sports accidents, cheek biting, small cuts, and excessively brushing the teeth can likewise cause canker sores. Additionally, poor-fitting dentures, fillings, braces, and fractures can result in canker sores.

 

Poor Oral Hygiene

Brushing your teeth two times a day, flossing regularly, and washing your mouth with a prescription antibacterial mouth rinse will keep your mouth healthy. The woman gargles saltwater solution to treat her canker sore on the gums.Additionally, it is essential to limit hard, crunchy, undesirable, or disturbing food varieties to prevent canker sores.

 

Toothpaste

Toothpaste products containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) can promote canker sores in the mouth. The ingredient is known to irritate the tissues inside the mouth and gums. Your toothpaste is possibly the offender, especially if your canker sores are recurrent.

 

Food Allergies

Spicy foods, acidic foods, coffee, eggs, strawberries, eggplants, nuts, cheese, gluten, and tomatoes may cause allergic reactions in specific individuals. These responses can prompt the development of canker sores.

 

Nutritional Deficiencies

Too much intake of citrus fruits, processed foods, and sugar can cause a canker sore in the mouth. Hence, it is advisable to eat salads with fresh onions since they have sulfur, which has antibacterial impacts.

 

HIV Infection

Canker sores are not an indication of HIV, which is an infection that separates cells in the immune system. However, individuals with HIV/AIDS may foster severe sores more often than those without the virus.

 

Vitamin Deficiency

The body requires an appropriate balance of acidity, alkalinity, and minerals to stay away from canker sores. Zinc, iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies have been connected to canker sores and cold sores. Additionally, calcium deficiency can cause ulcers and can even make the sores worse. You can consult the dentists from Synergy Dental Group Parkdale if you’re experiencing this issue.

 

Diseases

Most doctors often associate canker sores with some diseases and chronic health conditions. These ailments incorporate, yet are not restricted to:

  • Celiac disease, a severe intestinal issue that occurs because of gluten intolerance.
  • Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
  • Lupus, an autoimmune disease that makes your body attacks its own tissues and organs
  • A compromised immune system, when somebody has a diminished immune response to warding off infections

 

Natural Treatment For Canker Sores

A canker sore usually disappears all alone within 7 to 10 days. There are some remedies at home that you can use to help promote a faster healing process. These include:

  • Use a toothpaste and mouth rinse that does not have sodium lauryl sulfate
  • Suck on ice cubes or Zinc capsules to alleviate discomfort and pain
  • Wash your mouth a couple of times every day with warm salt water or a baking soda rinse. Swish the warm water with 1 teaspoon of salt or baking soda for several minutes, and then spit it out in the sink.
  • Drink chamomile tea that has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties to alleviate canker sore discomfort
  • Eat salads that contain raw onions.
  • Some medications like Orabase can help keep your canker sores from turning out to be more painful when eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth.

 

When to See a Doctor

Make an appointment with your periodontist or doctor if your sore is extensive and goes on for more than two weeks. Also, see your physician if the pain deteriorates and you cannot handle it with home remedies.

 

References:

Canker sores (mouth ulcers): Overview.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546250/

May 23, 2021. The Different Types of Canker Sores.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/canker-sores-what-are-canker-sores-1059161

What is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Is It Safe?.

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/selecting-dental-products/what-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-is-it-safe

Brushing Your Teeth.

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/brushing-your-teeth

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

https://www.cdc.gov/ibd/what-is-IBD.htm

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