Canker Sores
Have you noticed an open and painful sore in your mouth? These could be found on the inside of your cheeks or on your tongue, which is usually white or yellow. You could have a canker sore. Canker sores are not contagious and are different from a cold sores. For treatments, you can consult the best primary care doctor in Brooklyn at Doral Health and Wellness.
Symptoms
Some of the common canker sore symptoms can include:
- Painful sores inside your mouth. These sores can form on your tongue, on your lips, and on the inner cheeks of your mouth.
- A small, round ulcer that is white, gray, or yellow with red bolder all around the ulcer
- A burning and tingling sensation in your mouth
There are additional symptoms you might experience in severe cases, and they include:
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Fatigue
Causes
There is an unclear cause of why you develop canker sores, although researchers suspect that there is a variety of factors that triggers cancer sores. They include:
- An injury to your mouth because of dental work, over-brushing, or a bite in the inner cheek
- A diet lacking in B-12, folate, zinc, or iron
- Sensitivity to toothpaste and mouth rinses or washes
- Food sensitivity to chocolates, coffee, nuts, cheese, or spicy and acidic foods
- An allergic response to some bacteria found in the mouth
- Emotional stress
- Hormonal changes
Canker sores also happen along with certain conditions and diseases, that includes:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis
- Celiac diseases
- Behcet’s disease is a disorder that causes inflammation in the body including the mouth
- A problem in the immune system that attacks the healthy cells in the mouth
- AIDS/HIV
- Lupus
Anyone can develop canker sores, but if you have a family history of this disorder, you could have a recurrent canker sore.
Treatment
Canker sores usually heal on their own even without treatment. But if symptoms bother your usual day-to-day activities, there are treatments available that include over-the-counter medication to ease your symptoms. Your doctor can also recommend some of the remedies such as:
- Mouth rinses that contain hydrogen peroxide, or dexamethasone
- Corticosteroid ointments
- Topical anesthetics
- Antibiotics
If your canker sores are caused by nutritional deficiencies, your doctor will provide or require you to take certain vitamins or supplements. If your canker sores are already severe, your doctor may recommend cauterization.
Prevention
Canker sores cannot be fully prevented, but there are certain steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing canker sores, such as:
- Stay away from acidic, salty, or spicy foods
- Make sure that you always practice good oral hygiene
- Talk to your primary doctor for any nutritional deficiencies
At Doral Health and Wellness, we have the best primary care doctor in Brooklyn to provide you with the best comprehensive medical care and health care services. Our healthcare providers and specialists are committed to providing you, our patients, with the highest level of care and respect. To book an appointment, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212, or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://doralhw.org or contact us at info@doralhw.org if you have any queries.