If you’re looking up canker sore causes, then either you or someone close to you have already suffered this dreaded problem earlier. But there’s no need to shy away…most people aged between 10 and 20 years usually suffer from these mouth ulcers at least 3-4 times a year.
Still, knowing what causes canker can help you keep away from those triggers, because the discomfort of having small sores all over the inside of your mouth is highly uncomfortable. And only if you have a case of simple canker sores, can you get off with just discomfort. Complex canker sores are much more painful – they are less common, but do occur in people who have had a lot of sores in their teenage years.
If you belong to the second group, you probably know all about the symptoms of canker. So you will watch out for the following…
Signs and Symptoms of canker:
- Small sores on your tongue, the soft tongue, inner side of your cheeks
- A tell-tale tingling inside your mouth before the sores surface
- Sores in your mouth that are white or grey in color, but have a red rim around.
If you have a severe case of canker, watch out for:
- Fever
- Sluggishness
- Swelling in the lymph nodes
If you ask a doctor what causes canker, they will probably offer you a number of triggers – a whole assortment. The reason why no doctor will be able to pinpoint what exactly causes canker is because…no one knows for sure!
Still, it is best to have a general idea of what causes canker, so you can wisely steer clear of them!
Causes and Triggers for Canker:
- Injuries to your mouth while playing sports. If hurting your mouth is a regular affair, then you might suffer from sores.
- Food that is hot or a hot drink can aggravate an area that had sores before and trigger another round of mouth sores.
- Spicy food, foods like oranges, lemon, etc. that contain acidic substances, can cause irritation and mouth sores.
- The chemicals in tobacco can cause you to have canker – especially in the region which comes in direct content with the irritants in tobacco.
- Dentures that do not fit well and are brushing against the soft skin inside your mouth can cause canker.
- Orthodontic brackets and bands can also hurt the soft tissues in the mouth with regular friction. It could also cause canker – in fact, canker is quite common in the initial days of orthodontic treatments when your mouth is still getting accustomed to the orthodontic attachments.
- Broken tooth with a sharp edge can hurt the sensitive skin inside your mouth and cause mouth sores where it touches the skin.
- Emotional stress as well as fatigue can cause sores in the mouth.
- Nutrition deficiency, especially deficiency of nutrients like B vitamins, folic acid, and iron can trigger canker.
- Genetics and hormonal changes can also trigger canker in a person.
- Allergic reactions can also surface in the form of canker and mouth sores. It could also be a reaction to a certain kind of bacteria (especially the bacteria that causes peptic ulcer — Helicobacter pylori).
- Certain medical conditions like HIV AIDS, Celiac disease, Behcet’s Disease, etc. can also trigger a bout of canker.
However, the good thing is that canker sore can be treated at home, with simple natural remedies. And even if you now have a fair idea about canker sore causes, you still need to figure out whether it is a case of canker, or the much dreaded herpes.