Canker Sores

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Canker sores are blisters that develop in the mouth and result in pain and discomfort. They can be of two types, simple canker sores and complex canker sores. Simple canker sores persist for about a week and usually affect individuals between the ages of 10 and 20 years. These sores may develop up to 3 to 4 times in a year. Complex canker sores mostly affect individuals who have had them before. They are less common than simple canker sores. Canker sores are often confused with cold sores. While canker sores generally develop inside the mouth, cold sores occur outside the mouth.

Symptoms of Canker Sores

Canker sores appear as reddish round ulcers with a whitish center. They usually form beneath the tongue, on the insides of the cheeks and on the gums. You can tell when canker sores are about to develop due to the tingling sensation that occurs 2 to 3 days earlier. Canker Sores symptoms include:

A tingling or burning sensation in the area where the sores are about to develop

Round or oval shaped ulcers that are red around the edges and white or yellow in the center
Fever
Swollen lymph glands
Sluggishness

Causes of Canker Sores

Allergies to certain foods

Allergic reaction to the bacteria present in the mouth

Minor injuries to the mouth due to sharp teeth, dental fixtures, rough brushing, accidental bites and the intake of acidic or pungent foods
Sensitivity to certain foods such as cheese, eggs, nuts and acidic fruits
Deficiencies of zinc, iron, folic acid and vitamin B-12
Infection due to certain types of bacteria

Remedies for Canker Sores

Baking soda constitutes one of the most common and popularly used home remedies for canker sores in mouth. Prepare a paste of baking soda and a little bit of water and apply to the sores. You can also add some baking soda to warm water and rinse your mouth with the solution.
Avoid eating acidic or spicy foods that will simply increase the pain and discomfort.
Apply ice on the canker sores to soothe the pain and reduce inflammation. You can effectively stop canker sores from developing if you start applying ice regularly, as soon as you experience the initial symptoms.
Be gentle while brushing your teeth and use toothpastes that do not contain foaming agents.
Plum juice serves as a beneficial canker sore natural treatment. Take a couple of tablespoons of plum juice and rinse the mouth with it for a few minutes. You can also dip a cotton ball in plum juice and hold it against the affected areas.
You can apply alum on the sores to relieve pain. Alum may cause slight burning for a few minutes. You can use alum twice daily and then rinse with water.

Diet for Canker sores
Eat more yogurt. There are active cultures contained in yogurt that help to encourage healing of sores. It also minimizes the risk of further occurrences of canker sores.

Increase your intake of foods rich in B vitamins. Foods such as whole grains and green, leafy vegetables are high in the B complex vitamins and are effective in preventing canker sore outbreaks. You can also consume nutritional yeast, which is available in health food shops. This yeast may be added to foods or liquids.
Kiwi fruit is known to help in healing canker sores. This could be because of the bioflavonoids and vitamin C that the fruits contain.

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