When it comes to managing canker sores, you need to know everything you can about them in order to help ease the pain, speed up healing, and possibly reduce the number of canker sore outbreaks you experience. Canker sores, also known as Aphthous Ulcers, are small lesions that occur inside the mouth, and are not contagious.

One to two days before appearing, a burning or tingling sensation may be present in the area of the mouth where the lesion is developing. Rarely, a fever might present itself when developing a canker sore. Canker sores appear inside the mouth as round or oval sores typically with a red border and yellow or white center. Canker sores typically develop:

- On the top surface of the tongue and the tip of the tongue
- Underneath the tongue, on the floor of the mouth
- The inside of the cheek and lip
- On the gum tissue
- Canker sores do not develop on the external surfaces of the lips and are not to be confused with coldsores.

Canker sores may be classified as:

- Minor - Although painful, minor canker sores are often fully healed within two weeks after onset. The size of a minor canker sore varies, but typically stays under 1/3 inch to 1/2 inch.

- Major - Canker sores that appear larger that 1/3 inch to 1/2 inch, last longer than two weeks, and appear to have irregular margins — oddly shaped — may be classified as major. Rarely, this type of canker sore may leave behind a scar. Common in immuno-suppressed patients.

- Herpetiform Canker Sores - A cluster of several tiny lesions that appear to form one larger sore. This type of canker sore may last from one week to one month.

Canker sores may become painful, especially when eating, drinking, and talking.