On and off one might be faced with ailments that can be
painful and hard to bear. Mouth sores are one such problem that not only are
painful but inconveniences you in your daily life, while eating or simply
talking. Mouth sores typically can be of two types, cold sores and canker
sores. Though the nature of the ailment is the same, their causes may be
attributed to different reasons and health conditions.
Difference between a cold sore and a canker sore
Cold Sores
Cold sores typically form outside the mouth and happen as
the name depicts due to cold and related virus.
Canker Sores
As opposed to cold sores, canker sores occur inside the
mouth. They are small and occur as an ulcer and can be extremely painful. While
the causes of formation of these cankerous sores are not known, it is believed
that excessive consumption of acidic food often cause the sores to occur and
multiply. Sometimes sudden injury to the tissues in the gums could also lead to
their occurrence.
Unlike cold sores, canker sores are not easy to deal with.
There are two types of canker sores – simple and those that can be not so
simple. Simple canker sores are the most common type of canker sores and can be
treated rather easily. On the other hand, the serious canker sores typically
happen to those who have had it before. The ongoing or recurrence of the canker
sores is a manifestation of a bigger problem at hand, which one often tends to
ignore. Often dentists or doctors attribute the occurrence and reappearance of
canker sores to deficiency of major vitamins in the body like vitamin B-12,
zinc, folic acid, iron. It can also be the cause of nutrition deficiency or
various gastrointestinal tract diseases.
Whatever the causes of these sores, they are extremely
painful to bear. These fleshy and watery growths in the insides of the cheek,
tongue or on the palate can make life unbearable. Often the pain and discomfort
results in fever and temperature as well.
Treatment for canker sores
How can one treat canker sores? If you feel that the pain
and discomfort is getting unbearable, it may help to visit your dentist. If the
problem isn’t as serious, one may look at over-the-counter medications and oral
rinses that might temporarily relieve you of the pain as well as kill the
infection, if the cause is superficial. However, if the sores are due to other
serious problem, continued use of these rinses or medications may not do much
in terms of relief; rather prolonged use could often enhance the irritation and
make the situation worse.
If even after over the counter medications there isn’t much
in terms of relief, it perhaps is a sign that there may be more that what meets
the eye. In such a scenario, do not waste time and consult your dentist to get
appropriate treatment.
