How Does a Canker Sore Develop?
Instructions
Canker Sores -- Physical Appearance
1. Canker sores, also known as aphthous stomatitis, are a condition where small ulcers or lesions appear in the patient's mouth. The ulcers are usually found on the inside of the lips, the cheeks and on the tongue. During an outbreak there could be one or several lesions. The lesions can last anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the size and type of the canker sore. There are three different types of recurring canker sores: the minor form, which is the most common, measures 3 mm to 1 cm; the major form, which are larger and deeper, measuring 1 to 3 cm, in diameter; and herpetiform, which appears in clusters. The exact cause of canker sores is not known, but sores tend to develop when the immune system is weakened or when you come in contact with certain allergens. Other factors that can contribute to sores developing are stress, physical trauma to tissue in the mouth, nutrition, certain medications and some viruses and bacteria. Since there are no known causes of canker sores, treatments are usually symptomatic, taking care of the lesions and the pain associated with them.
Canker Sore at the Cellular Level
2. The canker sore is first felt as a pricking or burning sensation in the soft mucous membrane in your mouth. At this stage you may not notice the sore. The lesions then develop in 24 to 48 hours with the pain lasting for about 4 days. The pain subsides when a thick, fibrous layer covers the ulcer. The lesions can be identified by their characteristic reddish halo that surrounds a yellowish or grayish colored shallow indention. It has been theorized that one way that a canker sore forms happens when a lymphocytic (a type of white cell) cell enters the epithelium. This is followed by a papular or small solid raised lesion, where the keratinocyte vascularizes. This is then surrounded by a reactive erythematous vasculitis, or red inflamed tissue. The lesion then ulcerates which is then followed by a fibrinous membrane (clotting protein) surrounding the ulcer. This is followed in time by the regeneration of the epithelial cells.
Who is at Risk to Develop Canker Sores
3. There is a genetic disposition associated with the development of canker sores. Recurrent outbreaks can be an inherited condition.
Immune system problems can lead to development of ulcers. Some studies say your body immune system turns on itself and causes the sores.
Certain common oral bacteria have been associated with the development of oral ulcers.
People with poor oral habits increase your risk of developing ulcers.
Women are at a higher risk of developing recurrent canker sores.
People with certain intestinal problems, like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are susceptible to developing canker sores.
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