What Causes Canker Sores

Online, November 14, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Canker sores refer to a condition where the mouth gets open sores that are painful. Normally, the sores are yellow or white in color and they are surrounded by a predominant red area that is usually bright. However, a good number of people confuse canker sores to the fever blisters. Fever blisters are at times known as cold sores and they are quite different from canker sores. Scientifically, this condition is referred to as alphthous stomatitis. When you to any physician, they would term it as mouth cancer. This is because it results in the repeated causation of ulcers in the mouth of an individual. Not only does it cause the ulcers, it also causes benign. Having said that, what are the various causes of canker sores?

The relationship between canker sores and stress:
The exact cause of the stubborn canker sores remains fuzzy. However, much as the definite cause is unclear, researchers have been working on it and they have not stopped their research. Part of their research work suggests that stress could be one of the causal factors for the condition. This information could make you get lost on this topic as you may not understand how stress causes the condition.

However much you may want to disagree with these findings, you will not dispute the fact that stress takes a great toll on your body. Stress could be emotional, psychological or physical. The common factor is that all of them will tax your body immensely once they attack.

Again, you would not dispute the fact that stress causes your immune system and that of any other person to be less efficient. When this happens, your body becomes prone to injuries, infections including illnesses. This explains why when you are stressed, you are likely to catch a cold and you generally feel weak.

The research connects the bacterial infection that results in peptic ulcers to be the same that cause canker sores. Therefore, once you are under immense stress, your immune system gets weak giving the H. pyori bacterial infection the chance to develop into canker sores.

Canker sores and smoking:
This topic has been very controversial and still continues to attract a lot of debate. Just as the real cause for the canker sores is still unclear, no one has come out to prove that smoking can cause the condition. There has been no concrete explanation substantiated by evidence to show how it happens. However, researchers believe that smoking could be one of the reasons why people develop the mouth cancer.
On a different footing altogether, there have been complaints from many people who have tried to quit smoking. Most of them have laid claims that weeks after quitting smoking, they developed canker sores. Most of them said they developed between two and five ulcers on their mouths. Nonetheless, this matter is still under research from which comprehensive explanations will be given.

Kissing and canker sores:
As it was mentioned before, canker sores are quite similar to cold sores in appearance but they have different causes. Cold sores come as a result of a virus known as herpes. In fact, the term viral came from the word virus which means that they spread so fast. Most diseases caused by a virus are contagious. Since many people have gotten cold sores from kissing, they tend to confuse the scenario with the non-contagious canker sores.

When it comes to kissing when having this condition, it will not infect your partner. However, it is vital to keep in mind that canker sores come at a time when one's immune system is at its lowest. This means that you could also be carrying other viral pathogens that you could transmit to your partner. Therefore, why not save that smooching until that time when you are fully healed from the sores? It could save you people some cash on medical expenses.

Dipping and canker sores:
There are people who try to avoid most of the devastating effects of smoking tobacco by chewing it. This act commonly referred to as dipping has its own health consequences. However, in this case, we shall restrict ourselves to how dipping causes canker sores. Many people who practice dipping have confessed having developed canker sores. Therefore, it would be pointless to want to dispute how dipping leads to mouth cancer.

In fact, several dentists corroborate to this fact. They agree that dipping is one of the causes of canker sores. The sores normally develop at the point where the smokeless tobacco is held as one is chewing. They believe that tobacco irritating chemicals that result in the sores.

Pregnancy and canker sores:
There has been ongoing debate on whether canker sores could come as a result of pregnancy. One thing about them is that they also appear during hormonal imbalances in women. During pregnancy, women undergo various hormonal changes. Any slight mistake could lead to a hormonal imbalance thus causing the sores. The situation is much worse when the pregnant lady is also stressed. They give their bodies all the necessary conditions to contract the painful sores.

Interestingly, these sores are also common among women during the menstrual cycle. During this time, women experience several hormonal changes too. Therefore, in times of pregnancy and menstrual cycle, it is important to ensure that women have all the necessary minerals for hormonal balance apart from keeping them stress free.

Sugar and canker sores:
Eating too much sugar or sugary foods could result in the condition. Too much sugar in the body causes inflammation in the body. Inflammation results into hampering the immune system. When the immune system is less effective, the chances of one getting canker sores are high.

Canker sores and antibiotics:
There are some antibiotics that cause canker sores. There are people who complain that after their dose of antibiotics, they suffered from the sores. This is because there are some antibiotics that kill all bacteria in the mouth including the good ones. The result is that the mouth is left vulnerable to infections like the bacterial infection that causes canker sores.

Canker sores and braces:
Those people who have used braces will attest to the fact that getting canker sores was not something uncommon. More often than not, the braces would cut you from time to time and so frequently the sores would come. Braces make it hard for you to clean the mouth. When you eat acidic food, part of the acidity remains hidden in the teeth. Therefore, as the brace cuts you, the acid further complicates the situation.

Canker sores and your tooth:
You may not want to believe this but you better because your tooth could cause the sores. More often than not, a tooth accidentally bites either the cheek or tongue. The result could be the formation of the dreaded canker sores. The situation could be worse if you do not clean your mouth properly as this will leave it predominantly acidic. The acid will increase the pain in your sores.

One thing is clear about canker sores; it is that they can attack almost anyone. When they do, the experience is annoyingly painful. In some individuals, the condition can be distressingly frequent. Therefore, it is important to determine the factors for your frequent canker sores.