Call your doctor if:

• The sore begins soon after you start a new medication
• You have large white patches on the roof of your mouth or your tongue (this may be thrush or another type of infection)
• Your mouth sore lasts longer than 2 weeks
• You have a weakened immune system (for example, from HIV or cancer)
• You have other symptoms like fever, skin rash, drooling, or difficulty swallowing

Your doctor will perform a physical examination, focusing on your mouth and tongue. Medical history questions may include the following:

• Are the sores on your lips, gums, tongue, lining of your cheeks, or elsewhere?
• Are the sores open ulcers?
• Are there large, white patches on the roof of the mouth or on your tongue?
• How long have you had the mouth sores? More than 2 weeks?
• Have you ever had sores of this type before?
• What medications do you take?
• Do you have other symptoms like fever, sore throat, or breath odor?

Treatment may depend on the cause of the mouth sore.

• A topical anesthetic (applied to the skin) such as lidocaine or xylocaine may be used to relieve pain (but should be avoided in children).
• An antifungal medication may be prescribed for oral thrush (a yeast infection).
• An antiviral medication may be prescribed for herpes sores (although some experts don't believe medication will make the sores go away sooner)
• Anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed for severe or persistent canker sores.

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Mouth sores

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease

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Mouth sores Prevention

Review Date: 11/14/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)