If you’ve ever had a canker sore, you know they can be very painful. Canker sores are very common. There is no known cause of these painful sores, but they are often attributed to such things as acidic foods or trauma such as biting the inside of the lip. Canker sores are formally known as apthous ulcers. These are typically found on the inside of the mouth inside the cheek areas, tongue or soft palate. These differ from cold sores in that cold sores are found outside the mouth on the lips or under the nose.

There is no prevention or cure for canker sores. There are some treatments that can help to alleviate the discomfort associated with the sores. At Douglas Dental we often apply a product called Debactrolto the sore if it is acutely painful. Left untreated, a cold sore will typically heal within 7-10 days. A single application of medicine can almost immediately alleviate symptoms and allow faster healing.

Canker sores are typically fairly small and tolerable, but can become very large and painful. These can cause difficulty with eating. If you have large, painful sores, fever, or sores that don’t heal within 2 weeks, see your dentist.