Canker sores occur singly or in clusters on the inside surfaces of your cheeks or lips, on or under your tongue, at the base of your gums, or on your soft palate. They usually have a white or yellow center and a red border and can be extremely painful.
Canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers, are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues in your mouth or at the base of your gums. Unlike cold sores, canker sores don't occur on the surface of your lips and they aren't contagious. They can be painful, however, and can make eating and talking difficult.
Most canker sores go away on their own in a week or two. Check with your doctor or dentist if you have unusually large or painful canker sores or canker sores that don't seem to heal.
Products & Services
- Book: Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies
Symptoms
Most canker sores are round or oval with a white or yellow center and a red border. They form inside your mouth — on or under your tongue, inside your cheeks or lips, at the base of your gums, or on your soft palate. You might notice a tingling or burning sensation a day or two before the sores actually appear.
There are several types of canker sores, including minor, major and herpetiform sores.
Minor canker sores
Minor canker sores are the most common and:
- Are usually small
- Are oval shaped with a red edge
- Heal without scarring in one to two weeks
Major canker sores
Major canker sores are less common and:
- Are larger and deeper than minor canker sores
- Are usually round with defined borders, but may have irregular edges when very large
- Can be extremely painful
- May take up to six weeks to heal and can leave extensive scarring
Herpetiform canker sores
Herpetiform canker sores are uncommon and usually develop later in life, but they're not caused by herpes virus infection. These canker sores:
- Are pinpoint size
- Often occur in clusters of 10 to 100 sores, but may merge into one large ulcer
- Have irregular edges
- Heal without scarring in one to two weeks
When to see a doctor
Consult your doctor if you experience:
- Unusually large canker sores
- Recurring sores, with new ones developing before old ones heal, or frequent outbreaks
- Persistent sores, lasting two weeks or more
- Sores that extend into the lips themselves (vermilion border)
- Pain that you can't control with self-care measures
- Extreme difficulty eating or drinking
- High fever along with canker sores
See your dentist if you have sharp tooth surfaces or dental appliances that seem to trigger the sores.
Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic
There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. EmailFrom Mayo Clinic to your inbox
ErrorEmail field is required
ErrorInclude a valid email address
Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data.To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.
Burning mouth syndrome is the medical term for ongoing (chronic) or recurrent burning in the mouth without an obvious cause. This discomfort may affect the tongue, gums, lips, inside of your cheeks, roof of your mouth (palate) or widespread areas of your whole mouth. The burning sensation can be severe, as if you scalded your mouth.
Burning mouth syndrome usually appears suddenly, but it can develop gradually over time. Unfortunately, the specific cause often can't be determined. Although that makes treatment more challenging, working closely with your health care team can help you reduce symptoms.
Burning mouth syndrome care at Mayo Clinic
Products & Services
- Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition
- Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition
Symptoms
Symptoms of burning mouth syndrome may include:
- A burning or scalding sensation that most commonly affects your tongue, but may also affect your lips, gums, palate, throat or whole mouth
- A sensation of dry mouth with increased thirst
- Taste changes in your mouth, such as a bitter or metallic taste
- Loss of taste
- Tingling, stinging or numbness in your mouth
The discomfort from burning mouth syndrome typically has several different patterns. It may:
- Occur every day, with little discomfort when you wake, but become worse as the day progresses
- Start as soon as you wake up and last all day
- Come and go
Whatever pattern of mouth discomfort you have, burning mouth syndrome may last for months to years. In rare cases, symptoms may suddenly go away on their own or become less frequent. Some sensations may be temporarily relieved during eating or drinking.
Burning mouth syndrome usually doesn't cause any noticeable physical changes to your tongue or mouth.
When to see a doctor
If you have discomfort, burning or soreness of your tongue, lips, gums or other areas of your mouth, see your doctor or dentist. They may need to work together to help pinpoint a cause and develop an effective treatment plan.
Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic
There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Email ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.From Mayo Clinic to your inbox
Is a sore tongue anything to worry about?
What illness causes a sore tongue?
Why do I have a sore mouth and tongue?
How do you treat a sore tongue?