If you have ever dealt with a canker sore, you know they can be painful. These are small ulcers that occur inside the mouth or on the lips. Canker sores are not the same as cold sores as those are caused by a virus and are contagious. Canker sores are not contagious and are not caused by a virus. Canker sores also occur inside the mouth while cold sores most commonly occur outside the mouth.

Canker sores are most commonly caused by injury to the mouth from vigorous tooth brushing, dental work, braces or dentures, or a sporting accident. They are also linked to eating acidic foods, certain food sensitivities and allergies, smoking, weakness of the immune system, and certain medications.  

Be sure to contact your dentist if your canker sore spreads, lasts more than three weeks, causes severe pain even after taking over the counter pain relief, if the sore causes difficulty in drinking fluids as you could risk becoming dehydrated, and if the sore is accompanied by a fever.  

Most of the time, canker sores won’t require treatment, and it will naturally heal on its own. Be sure to avoid acidic foods and brush your teeth gently during the healing process.

As always, please contact DaVinci Dentistry if you have any questions or concerns. We are more than happy to serve patients in the Southlake, TX and surrounding areas.