Canker Sores are small painful ulcers in the inner lips and in the lining of the mouth caused by viruses. This conditions is medically termed as “Aphthous Stomatitis”. [tag]Canker Sores[/tag] generally takes about a week to clear up on its own, though it recurs often and sometimes there may even be multiple sores. Canker sores could be really painful, especially while consuming acidic foods like tomatoes or oranges. This could run in families and the unfortunate part is that there is no specific [tag]canker sore treatments[/tag] meant.
[tag]Canker Sore Causes[/tag]: Canker sores could result due to any of the following factors.
Lack of dental hygiene: At times in cases of recurrent canker sores, the toothpaste could be the culprit. Try and prevent the use of toothpastes containing the detergent Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as their ingredient. This could lead to dryness of mucous surface in the mouth making it prone to plague caused due to acidic foods. Toothbrushes should be changed often. A rough or hard-bristled toothbrush when pressed hard while brushing the teeth irritates the mucous membranes creating canker sores.
Nutritional Deficiencies : Though number of [tag]nutritional deficiencies[/tag] lead to Canker Sores, deficiency of [tag]Thiamine[/tag] (Vitamin B complex) is considered as the major cause. The other deficiencies include iron, folic acid, calcium, selenium and zinc.
Allergies and Food Sensitivity: [tag]Food allergies[/tag] have been found to be another major cause which could trigger Canker Sores. The gluten present in cereal grains (buck wheat, barley, wheat, oats) are an important cause. It has been found that there are recurrent canker sores in patients with celiac disease, and when such patients were given a diet that did not include gluten as an ingredient, there was significant decrease in appearance of these sores. Apart from this, certain vegetable and fruits like figs, tomatoes, pineapples, strawberries and lemon and diary products such as milk and cheese could also cause canker sores in some people. At times, preservative found in food like cinnamonaldehyde(used for flavoring), Benzoic acid, sorbic acid or dichromate could cause canker sores.
Stress – Persistent [tag]stress[/tag] caused due to some physical or [tag]emotional trauma[/tag] could result in lesser immunity and lessen mucosal lining integrity making the individual prone to canker sores. Physical trauma could also be in the form of self-inflicted bite, or irritation caused due to some sharp object which could later lead to formation of sores.
Genetics – Researchers are of the opinion that generally individuals who suffer canker sores have one of their parents suffering from it.
Apart from the said factors, certain kind of viruses and bacteria and certain medications like beta blockers or chemotherapeutic agents could also lead to canker sores.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, individuals with high levels of Pitta are prone to recurrent canker sores as they generally have sharp teeth that could get eroded and this can lead to repetitive sores.