Aphthous Stomatitis

Aphthous stomatitis or aphthous ulcers (also called canker sores) are a common occurrence in the general population and usually first appear in childhood or adolescence. Aphthous ulcers are well demarcated, round or oval, superficial ulcers with a white to yellow base and surrounding erythema. Triggers include stress, lack of sleep, trauma, irritation from food or toothpaste, or viral infection. A family history of aphthous ulcers may exist in those who experience recurrent lesions. Most aphthous ulcers heal within 1-2 weeks without any treatment. However, they are often painful and patients may benefit from protective pastes, with or without a corticosteroid, or topical anesthetics. Patients should also avoid any known triggers.

The differential diagnosis of an oral ulcer should include a herpes simplex infection, erythema multiforme, oral lichen planus, and Behçet disease. The manifestations of herpes simplex and erythema multiforme are discussed in the Infections & Infestations and Inflammatory Skin Conditions sections respectively.