Canker sores are just one of the many types of mouth sores that people can acquire. It is important to know the specific symptoms of canker sores such as pain and typical appearance as well as their clinical behavior, that is, how long they last and who is most likely to get them. By knowing the symptoms, you can identify (and your doctor can confirm) a canker sore diagnosis.
What do canker sores look like?
As the name implies, canker sores can be quite painful. In fact, of the many different types of possible mouth sores, canker sores are usually the most painful. In general, canker sores are red and smaller than one centimeter (about 3/8”). However some people are afflicted with more extensive sores that can be larger than a centimeter or even appear in clusters, like grapes. Canker sores often develop a white/yellow/gray coating on top with a white “halo” or circle around the lesion.
Where do canker sores appear?
Unlike cold sores, which appear on the border between the lip and the surrounding skin, canker sores can appear virtually anywhere in the mouth. These painful mouth sores commonly emerge on inside of the lip, inside of the cheek, and under the tongue. Other locations include the roof of the mouth, certain parts of the gums, and the tonsils.
Who is most likely to get canker sores?
Canker sores or aphthous ulcers are extremely common. One out of every five people suffers from them and cases have been reported throughout the world. While people of any age can get aphthous ulcers, usually they first strike during adolescence. For reasons that are not clear, girls tend to get canker sores more than boys and people of higher socioeconomic classes are affected more often than those who are less privileged.
Canker Sores: aphthous ulcer
How long will canker sores last?
In the case of minor canker sores, expect the painful mouth lesions to persist for one to two weeks. Not surprisingly, more serious or extensive cases of aphthous ulcers may last longer. Since treatments are more effective at relieving canker sore symptoms than at eradicating the disease itself, traditional canker sore treatment will only moderately shorten the period of time that the sore is active. What is more, canker sores tend to recur. That means that people who experience a single episode are far more likely to have the mouth sores in the future.
What other mouth sores mimic canker sores?
As mentioned, there are a number of mouth sores that can cause canker sore symptoms. For instance, canker sores are often confused with cold sores. Cold sores (aka herpes labialis) only appear on the lips and are usually caused by the infectious herpes simplex virus. The symptoms of candidiasis are also confused with the symptoms of canker sores, mostly because the lesions look quite similar. Candidiasis of the mouth, better known as thrush, results from an oral fungal infection. Leukoplakia, hairy tongue, and lichen planus are less common causes of mouth sores but may also be mistaken for canker sores. It is important to differentiate canker sores from these similar, but unrelated mouth sores.
References
Gonsalves WC, Chi AC, Neville BW. Common oral lesions: Part I. Superficial mucosal lesions. Am Fam Physician 2007;75:501-507.
Scully C, Gorsky M, Lozada-Nur F. The diagnosis and management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a consensus approach. J Am Dent Assoc 2003;134:200-207.
