If you’ve had a sore in your mouth that either doesn’t go away, or gets worse after more than two weeks of home treatment, something may be amiss. Cancer can even appear on the tonsils or in the salivary glands. Mouth cancer can appear anywhere on the soft tissue in your mouth, including the tongue, lips, cheeks, and gums. On the other hand, a patch demonstrating abnormal cell growth, indicating cancer, is usually flat. While most sores are just cankers, there is the chance of something more serious, like oral cancer.Īn important distinction between a canker sore and mouth cancer is that a canker sore usually is concave and looks like an ulcer. You should also avoid any spicy or acidic foods, as they can aggravate the sore. Over the counter meds, like Advil or Orajel help manage pain and you can also rinse your mouth with either mild mouthwash or salt water to ease the pain and hurry the process along. You can expect a canker sore’s pain to decrease after a couple days and the rest of the symptoms to disappear shortly after. Typically, canker sores take one to three weeks to heal. If you develop a canker sore you should try to avoid fruits that are high in acid. Many high acid citrus fruits can also cause or make canker sores worse. These could include poorly fitting dentures, braces, or even brushing too hard. Sometimes mouth sores are developed by brushing our teeth too hard! A common cause of white sores could be any stress or injury to that area of the mouth.

Other studies have shown that low levels of folic acid, zinc and iron can also trigger sores. B-12 deficiency is a common cause of recurring canker sores and can easily be bought over the counter. Sometimes oral health is affected by more systemic issues such as vitamin deficiencies. Where Do Canker Sores Come From?Ĭanker sores can happen to anyone, but are most common in pre-teen and teenagers. They can appear as a reaction to the body’s weakened immune system, biting your cheek, a lack of vitamins, or even stress.Ĭanker sores may also run in your family, and women are more susceptible to them than men. Unfortunately, they’re not particularly easy to avoid. In rare cases, you may even get a fever or swollen lymph nodes. Canker sores are either white or yellow with a bright red area surrounding them. If you have a sore in your mouth, it most likely is a canker sore. Is the white patch in my mouth simply a canker sore, or are you dealing with something more serious? What We’re Dealing With Whenever I get them, all I know is that I want them to go away as fast as possible. You’ve got a sore in your mouth it hurts, you can’t seem to stop biting it no matter how hard you try, and you’re not really sure what it is. Periodontal Disease (Gum Disease) Treatment.

Smooth red patch in mouth