Canker Sores On Tongue
Painful Canker Sores On Tongue
Canker sores on tongue can be a painful, frustrating experience. The red, inflamed sores with a white center seem to pop up for no good reason at all, and disappear again the same way they came (if you’re lucky). Because they look similar to cold sores, sometimes people think that they are the same thing. However, cold sores are caused by a virus and are highly contagious, whereas canker sores are caused by nobody-knows-what (but not a virus). Nor are canker sores related to cancer, although some types of cancer may begin as what looks like a canker sore. If you have a sore that hasn’t healed for several weeks, you should see a doctor to get a biopsy done.
Canker sores fall into one of three categories: minor, major, and herpetiform. Minor canker sores are no more than 1/3 of an inch in diameter; major canker sores are much larger and take much longer to heal; and herpetiform canker sores occur when groups of smaller sores combine into one large sore. Herpetiform canker sores heal within a week or two, although it can seem much longer.
At any given time, about 20% of the population is experiencing canker sores. For most people who get canker sores, they get it 3 or 4 times a year. Most people who get canker sores are adolescents or young adults, and as they get older the likelihood of repeat canker sores decreases. If you’re one of the people who’s had canker sores on tongue that fall into the major or herpetiform category, see your doctor for ways to get canker sore relief.
how to get rid of canker sores