Canker sores are usually a minor health issue, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t painful. These sores, which can develop on the inside of your cheeks, lips, or tongue, are usually small white ulcers with a red border. When you have a canker sore, you might find it painful to eat, drink, brush your teeth, or swallow.
Some people mistake canker sores for cold sores, but they’re not the same. According to the Cleveland Clinic, cold sores are caused by a contagious virus, while canker sores are not contagious and aren’t caused by a virus.
“The cause of a canker sore can be different for each person,” says Sarah Glass, D.D.S., an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. They can be triggered by injury, stress, or nutrient deficiencies.
Meet the Experts: Leena Palomo, D.D.S., a board-certified periodontist and professor at the NYU College of Dentistry and Sarah Glass, D.D.S., an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry.
Most canker sores will go away on their own. You should contact a healthcare provider if your canker sore hasn’t gone away after two weeks, is accompanied by flu-like symptoms, or if it’s larger than a centimeter, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Below, dentists explain how to get rid of canker sores and how to prevent them from happening in the first place.
How to prevent canker sores
✔️Mind your diet.
Not getting enough B vitamins, zinc, and iron may make you more susceptible to canker sores. Eat plenty of produce and whole grains, and load up on B12-rich fish like salmon, rainbow trout, and tuna. Limit spicy and acidic foods, which may trigger sores.
“Keep track of when sores occur and note foods that coincide with them to eliminate triggers specific to you,” says Leena Palomo, D.D.S., a board-certified periodontist and professor at the NYU College of Dentistry.
✔️Find your Zen.
Stress is thought to boost the activity of leukocytes, immune cells linked to inflammation throughout the body, including in the mouth, that can trigger a canker sore. Decompress regularly with a favorite chill drill like meditation, a hot bath, yoga, or exercise. “Even just getting a good night’s sleep can help,” Palomo says.
✔️Brush gently.
A slip of the hand while forcefully brushing your teeth can mean your cheek or lip gets jabbed with the hard part of the brush—a common way the stage gets set for a canker sore. “Brush with small circular motions, and avoid aggressively brushing back and forth,” Glass says.
How to get rid of canker sores
✔️Rinse and repeat.
Swish with a solution of 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 cup warm water to relieve pain and speed healing. Consider an over-the-counter rinse containing hydrogen peroxide to keep the ulcer clean, and drink water throughout the day to promote production of saliva, which thwarts viruses and bacteria.
✔️Numb it.
OTC or prescription topical anesthetics with lidocaine or benzocaine can numb the sore to relieve pain. A doctor can tell you, based on your sore’s location, whether a rinse, gel, or paste is best.
✔️Call the doc.
For severe or chronic canker sores, a doctor can prescribe corticosteroids to help dampen inflammation that causes them to flare. If a bad sore doesn’t improve, ask about cauterization, in which a doctor or dentist burns the ulcer with a laser or a chemical agent. Studies suggest that cauterizing can quickly relieve pain, but it needs to be done in-office by a physician to protect the surrounding tissue.
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