Canker sore is a small, painful sore on the tongue or inside the mouth. The sores begin as red swellings and open into grayish-white ulcers with a red border. The medical terms for canker sores include aphthous stomatitis << AF thuhs `stoh` muh TY tihs >> and aphthous ulcers.
The cause of canker sores is not known. Many experts think they occur chiefly because of a flaw or imbalance in the body’s disease-fighting immune system. People vary in their likelihood of getting canker sores, and some people have repeated outbreaks. A tendency to develop the sores runs in some families.
Canker sores are rarely serious except in people with AIDS or other conditions that weaken the immune system. Doctors may sometimes order tests for canker sore patients to rule out more serious disorders. Treatment aims at reducing the pain, duration, and frequency of attacks. Measures that may offer relief include avoiding spicy or irritating foods; applying medicated ointments or pastes to the sores; and using mouth rinses that fight bacteria or inflammation.
