What causes Canker Sores ?

Causes of canker sores in mouth

What causes canker sores in mouth

While the exact cause of canker sores is unknown, there are many conditions which can lead to ulceration of the oral mucosa.

Researchers believe that the following risk factors are involved in developing canker sores :

Causes of canker sores

Trauma - minor physical injuries. Physical trauma to the mouth is a common cause of cankers sores. Possible conditions that can cause mouth ulcers by breaking the mucous membrane are :

Injury from accidentally biting the cheek, lips or tongue
Chewing sharp bits of food
A dental or orthodontic appliance, such as dental braces,
or a sharp edged tooth rubbing against the cheek
Poorly fitting dentures
Toothbrushing with a hard toothbrush

These ulcers usually heal rapidly if the source of the injury that caused the canker sore is removed.

Chemical agents

Chemicals such as aspirin or alcohol (when they stay in contact with the oral mucosa) may damage mouth tissues creating an ulcer. Other factors, such as chemical irritants or thermal injury, may also lead to the development of ulcers.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a foaming agent that is one of the main ingredients in most toothpastes, is known to cause aphthous ulcers in certain cases.

Infection - Viral, fungal and bacterial infections can lead to oral ulceration and cause canker sores.

Immune system - Autoimmunity. In some cases canker sores are thought to be caused by an overreaction by the body's own immune system. A common cause of ulcers is Coeliac disease, a disease caused by sensitivity to gluten, in which case consumption of wheat, rye, or barley can result in chronic oral ulcers.
Immunodeficiency is another possible cause of canker sores. Chemotherapy and HIV, both causes of immunodeficiency, have the creation of mouth ulcers as a side effect or symptom. Mouth ulcers may also be symptoms or complications of several other diseases related to immunodeficiency.

Allergy - Several food allergies can lead to ulcerations of the mucosa.

Dietary - Dietary deficiencies of vitamin C, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and folic acid, may contribute to some cases of mouth ulcers. Too much ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or citric acid may also cause canker sores.
Artificial sugars such as those found in diet cola and sugarless gum, have been reported as what causes cankers as well. Certain foods – including acidic fruits and vegetables (such as lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes, citrus, strawberries) – can trigger a canker sore or make the problem worse.

Genetic reasons – Epidemiological data that show cankers sores to be a common problem among members of the same family, suggest that there may be a genetic predisposition for canker sores.

Oral Cancer - Ulcerations at the first stage of oral cancers may resemble to a common canker sore.

Stress - If the sores tend to show up during stressful periods in your life, it may be a sign of a connection between canker sores and stress.

Hormonal changes / menstruation – The fact that about twice as many women as men suffer from canker sores, and especially more often during menstrual periods, has led doctors to relate some cases of aphthous ulcers with hormonal factors.

Aphthous ulcers are NOT related with the herpes simplex virus. Cold sores, which are ulcers associated with the herpes virus are an entirely different category of mouth ulcers, characterized by being very contagious, contrary to canker sores that are in all cases not contagious.