Abscess If you notice a painful bump on the roof of your mouth, it could be an abscess—an infection that forms when bacteria ...

Over-the-counter gels provide temporary pain relief for both minor and moderate cankers. They feature an anesthetic called benzocaine that numbs the affected area. They also shield the canker from ...

“Other conditions that might resemble canker sores include oral thrush, which is a fungal infection, and leukoplakia, which are white patches in the mouth often linked to smoking,” she says.

It feels worse with every prodding poke. Another canker sore. What did you do to deserve this? Maybe nothing at all. “Most times, we don’t know why they come,” says Dr. Alessandro Villa ...