Canker Sores During Pregnancy: Causes, Relief & When to Worry

Question
Hi my name is amanda i am 17 years old the date of my last menstrual period was march 29th, i am 12 weeks pregnant and i have been getting ulsers for the past month, as soon as one goes away i get another one, now i am getting more then one at a time i have 4 right now and it is very hard for me to eat because all i crave is acidy foods, why is this happening? is this normal?

Answer
Commonly known as canker sores, "aphthous stomatitis lesions" are common in women, especially pregnant women, and consists of shallow erosions of the mucous membranes of the mouth. Many heal spontaneously but often recur unexpectedly.  The lesions are usually painful and make eating difficult.  They tend to heal in 4-14 days.  Treatment options include: symptomatic therapy with topical anesthetics, such as Xylocaine, Vanceral aerosol spray, topical steroids applied directly to the ulcers.  Persistent erosions should alert one to the possibility of ulcerative colitis, lichen planus, lupus, etc. If these sores persist, you really should be evaluated by a dermatologist.