Canker sore on lip treatment

Canker sores usually have a pale or yellow centre with a red border and occur inside the lip, cheek, or mouth rather than on the outer skin. Trauma, stress, illness, hormonal changes, or nutritional problems may be associated, but a visual diagnosis is needed for recurring or atypical ulcers.

Avoid biting or rubbing the area, choose soft foods, rinse gently with salt water, and use a pharmacy oral gel or mouth rinse as directed. Avoid smoking, alcohol-containing rinses, and spicy, acidic, or rough foods while the ulcer is tender.

See a dentist or doctor if an ulcer lasts beyond two weeks, is unusually large, keeps returning, becomes more painful, or occurs with fever, rash, swollen glands, or difficulty eating and drinking.

Ask whether the lesion looks like a canker sore, whether a sharp tooth or lip bite is irritating it, and whether testing or prescription treatment is needed for repeated ulcers.