DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CANKER AND COLD SORES
Q: What’s the difference between canker sores and cold sores?
A: This is a good question; the two are often confused. The basic difference is that canker sores erupt inside the mouth. Cold sores, which are sometimes called fever blisters, appear externally, around the lips and under the nose. A canker sore is a small ulcer with a white or gray base and a red border. Also, canker sores are not contagious.
Fatigue, stress and allergies can increase the likelihood of a canker sore, but the fundamental cause of one remains uncertain. Problems with a person’s immune system, bacterial imbalances or a virus can also be factors. Canker sores generally heal on their own after a week or two. Antimicrobial mouthwash and over-the-counter anesthetics may be helpful in coping with a canker sore.
Cold sores, on the other hand, are groups of fluid-filled blisters. Cold sores caused by herpes virus type 1 are very contagious. Once a person is infected with herpes, the virus stays in the body. In some people the virus may stay dormant. Stress, sunburn, a skin abrasion or a fever may bring on an outbreak of cold sores. The blisters usually clear up in about a week.
Talk to your dentist if you experience a problem with either. Some prescription medicine may be appropriate, depending on your condition.
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39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360.