Canker Sores: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and Natural Approaches

Canker sores are common, affecting up to 50 percent of people during their lifetime.

Canker sores are small, painful ulcers inside the mouth that can make eating, drinking, or speaking uncomfortable. The Epoch Times/Shutterstock

Canker sores are small, painful ulcers that develop inside the mouth. They are also known as mouth ulcers or aphthous ulcers, and “recurrent aphthous stomatitis” when they occur repeatedly over time. Despite being only a few millimeters wide, they can cause intense pain. The term “aphthous” comes from the Greek word apthae, meaning “to set on fire.”

Canker sores may recur over time, but are not contagious. They are one of the most common conditions affecting the mouth’s mucous membranes.