Diseases

Mouth Sores

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Canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers, are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues in your mouth or at the base of your gums. Unlike cold sores,canker sores don't occur on the surface of your lips and they aren't contagious. They can be painful, however, and can make eating and talking difficult.

SYMPTOMS

Usually self-diagnosable
The main symptom is a painful sore in the mouth that can make it hard to eat and talk.

People may experience:

Pain areas: in the mouth
Also common: mouth ulcer

CAUSES

Mouth sores — which include canker sores — are usually a minor irritation and last only a week or two. In some cases, however, they can indicate mouth cancer or an infectionfrom a virus, such as herpes simplex. Herpes Simplexcauses cold sores, or fever blisters, and is highly contagious.