If you happen to panic-googled “how one can do away with a canker sore” as a result of you’ve got certainly one of these tender spots inside your mouth—otherwise you really feel one brewing—you’ve come to the appropriate place. As tiny as they’re, canker sores positive do pack a punch—they will make consuming, consuming, kissing, and even simply speaking tremendous uncomfortable.

So we talked to medical consultants about what, precisely, causes these pesky lesions within the first place—and how one can make them go away ASAP (or no less than make them a bit extra bearable within the meantime).

What are canker sores, precisely?

To get particular, canker sores are small, shallow ulcers that develop within the mushy tissues of the mouth. They will type on the within of your cheeks, the bottom of your gums, and even in your tongue, Erich Voigt, MD, director of the division of common otolaryngology at NYU Langone Medical Heart, tells SELF.

“They will occur to anybody,” Dr. Voigt says. Normally, they appear to be small white or yellow-tinged spots, they usually can harm like absolute hell, inflicting a stinging ache that intensifies while you eat one thing acidic or spicy, contact them together with your tongue, and even drink water.

Oh, and should you’re questioning, Are canker sores contagious?, you is perhaps mistaking them for chilly sores, or “fever blisters.” These suckers are attributable to the herpes virus and, in contrast to canker sores, can simply be unfold by way of skin-to-skin contact, like kissing. (You probably have a lesion in your mouth that’s blistering, has tiny bubbles of clear fluid, or is crusted over, you must see your main care physician. That may very well be a herpes sore.)

What causes canker sores?

Sadly, researchers don’t actually know what, precisely, causes these annoying little ulcers to point out up, however there are a handful of issues that will set off them, Leena Palomo, DDS, MSD, a board-certified periodontist and professor at New York College, School of Dentistry, tells SELF. “For some folks, it’s spicy or acidic meals [like pineapple, grapefruit, or oranges],” Dr. Palomo says. Analysis additionally means that sodium lauryl sulfate (discovered in lots of toothpastes) could cause irritation within the mouth, resulting in these irritating spots, she provides.

One other widespread set off that each Dr. Voigt and Dr. Palomo have seen is native trauma—from brushing your tooth too aggressively, for instance, by accident biting the within of your mouth whereas chewing, or diving right into a bag of sharp Doritos. You might also get a type of terrible little suckers while you’re confused or when your immune system is weak—possibly your physique’s combating off a virus, as an illustration. Canker sores (which, by the way in which, are often genetic) can be a aspect impact of sure autoimmune circumstances like celiac illness, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s Illness, lupus, and Behçet’s illness (which causes irritation within the blood vessels), in response to Dr. Palomo.

How one can deal with a canker sore at house

So…are you able to pop a canker sore to make it go away? Allow us to prevent some hassle: Since canker sores are shallow wounds—not blisters or pimples—there’s actually nothing there to pop. Plus, it’ll most likely harm should you attempt.