{"id":173,"date":"2022-10-25T19:24:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T19:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myranchobernardodentist.com\/blog\/?p=173"},"modified":"2022-11-15T19:25:18","modified_gmt":"2022-11-15T19:25:18","slug":"cold-sore-vs-canker-sore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myranchobernardodentist.com\/blog\/2022\/10\/25\/cold-sore-vs-canker-sore\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell the Difference Between Cold Sores and Canker Sores"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It\u2019s hard to think of two words less fun than \u201cmouth sore.\u201d They\u2019re painful, unsightly, and can make you concerned that you might be contagious. The two most common are cold sores and canker sores, and they\u2019re easy to mix up. If you\u2019re wondering which one you might be dealing with, here\u2019s a quick guide to help you tell them apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a Canker Sore?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These are small sores located inside the mouth. They\u2019re usually found on the gums, inside your cheeks, or on your tongue. They look yellow or white and are surrounded by a red border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canker sores aren\u2019t contagious. It\u2019s not completely clear what causes them, but they may appear due to injury, stress, or a reaction to some foods. They\u2019ve also been tied to nutrient deficiencies, namely those of vitamin B-12, iron, and folate. They usually heal on their own after anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a Cold Sore?
These are fluid-filled lumps caused by certain strains of the herpes simplex virus, aka HSV. It is typically associated with HSV-1 but can also be caused by HSV-2, i.e., the virus that causes genital herpes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HSV is very contagious and is most likely to spread when cold sores are present. If you\u2019ve had HSV for a while, a cold sore flare-up can come from fatigue, sunlight exposure, a cold, or hormonal changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold Sore vs. Canker Sore: Which is Which?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the two can feel similar, cold and canker sores can be told apart in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n