A person may develop a sore inside or near the mouth region. The sore is usually accompanied by a feeling of irritation and pain around the affected areas. Many people experience difficulty in being able to determine if it is a canker sore or a cold sore that has affected them. To find out more about their exact difference, here are some of the different aspects of cold sore vs canker sore
Canker sores
Canker sores are a type of sores that usually appear inside a person’s mouth, the tongue region and at times on the cheeks. The sores are usually covered with a layer that appears yellow in color and has a red base on them. Canker sores are usually caused by stress, injuries in the mouth as a result of biting your cheeks or tongue, irritation as a result of orthodontic braces, allergies and weak immune system.
Cold sores
Cold sore also referred to as fever blister usually appears outside the mouth. It appears on a person’s lips as blisters that are red in color which usually break causing painful sores. Cold sores are usually caused by herpes simplex type of virus. The virus can easily be spread when a person shares a towel, utensils, or through kissing.
A person is likely to feel a tingling sensation around the affected area before the sore appears. The cold sores are usually treated using pain relievers and antiviral types of ointments.
In conclusion
The major difference between a cold sore and a canker sore is the region where each appears. The canker sore usually appears in the inner parts of the mouth while the cold sores usually appear on the lip edge. The cold sores and the canker sores usually last for a few weeks and a person should not share utensils among other things since the sores are highly contagious.