Canker sore

A mouth ulcer, aphthous stomatitis or canker sore is a painful, open sore in the mouth. At least 10% of people suffer from them. They usually appear on the insides of the cheeks and lips, tongue, soft palate, and the base of the gums. They have a white / grey / yellow shallow pit surrounded by a red area. Cankers are usually the size of a pin head or match head, but can be up to 10mm (0.4 inch) or more in severe cases. They can occur on their own, or in groups. People get them at any age, but they usually first appear between the ages of 10 and 40. They affect women more often than men, and tend to run in families

The first symptom is usually a tingling or burning. The smallest ulcers can heal in a day or two, larger in 1 - 3 weeks. They often return

Causes:

• Toxic overload, often related to acid-forming foods. Note what foods you have eaten in the hours and days before the ulcer appears. Did you eat a large quantity of one kind of food? Possibilities include synthetic supplements (especially orange-coloured vitamin C), raw tomato, hot spices, refined (processed) salt, astringent foods
• Weakened immune system, emotional stress
• Viral or bacterial infection
• Injury such as biting the cheek, tongue or lips, dental work, or aggressive tooth cleaning (important - continue to properly clean your teeth with floss and a brush)
• Hormonal changes, menstrual periods
• Dietary deficiencies (especially iron, folic acid, or vitamin B-12)
• Food allergies