clinician registered in your province
Every assessment is reviewed by a clinician registered in your province, trained in health conditions prescribing.
C
Care365
online health care in Ontario
Oral Aphthous Ulcer Treatment Online — online health care in Ontario
See a licensed healthcare professional online for oral aphthous ulcer — no waiting room, no travel.
Aphthous ulcers -- commonly called canker sores -- are small, round, painful sores that form inside the mouth, on the inner cheeks, lips, tongue, or gums, distinct from cold sores because they're not caused by a virus and never appear on the outer lip or face. They're thought to be triggered by minor mouth injury (like biting your cheek or hard toothbrushing), stress, hormonal changes, certain foods, or vitamin deficiencies, and most people get their first one sometime in their teens or twenties. A typical canker sore heals on its own within one to two weeks, but the pain out of proportion to its small size is what usually sends people looking for relief.
clinician registered in your province
Usually responds within 24 hours
Prescriptions sent directly
CCare365
Care365 workflowComplete assessment → clinical review → prescription sent when appropriate.
Quick Self-Check
Answer a few quick questions. This isn't a diagnosis — a real clinical assessment is the next step either way.
How We Work
A Care365 online clinical consult reviews how many ulcers you have, their size, how long they've lasted, and whether you're having any whole-body symptoms, to confirm this looks like a typical, uncomplicated canker sore rather than something needing further workup. For routine cases, the healthcare professional can recommend or prescribe a topical treatment to speed healing and calm the pain, plus practical tips on what to avoid while it heals.
Complete a short online assessment
Answer real, condition-specific questions — takes a few minutes, no appointment needed to start.
A licensed clinical reviews your answers
A real clinician registered in your province reviews your case, with a response within 24 hours of booking in most cases — not an automated approval.
Get your treatment plan
When appropriate, your prescription is sent directly to your preferred pharmacy, with clear next steps.
Why Choose Care365?
Fast, Real Assessments
No generic templates — your answers are reviewed by a real person, with a response within 24 hours of booking in most cases.
Secure & Private
Your information is encrypted and only seen by the clinical reviewing your case.
Prescriptions Sent Directly
When appropriate, your prescription goes straight to your preferred pharmacy — no extra trip needed.
What Our healthcare professionals Can Assess
Minor aphthous ulcers
The most common type — small (under 1 cm), few in number, and healing without scarring within one to two weeks.
Major aphthous ulcers
Larger (over 1 cm) and deeper sores that take longer to heal and can leave scarring.
Herpetiform ulcers
Clusters of many small ulcers that can merge into one larger, irregular sore, despite the name, unrelated to the herpes virus.
Common Symptoms
- A small, round, painful sore inside the mouth — on the cheek, lip, tongue, or gums
- Pain that feels out of proportion to the sore's small size
- A white or yellowish center with a red border
- Pain that's worse when eating spicy, acidic, or rough foods
- A sore that heals on its own within one to two weeks
- Occurring only inside the mouth, never on the outer lip or face
- A single ulcer, or just a few, at one time
Treatment Options
These options may be prescribed by a Care365 clinician after a real assessment — this is general information, not a recommendation to use any specific medication without one.
| Medication | Class | Route | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% in orabase | Topical corticosteroid | Topical (oral) | TID-QID until healed |
| Benzocaine topical gel | Topical anesthetic | Topical (oral) | As needed for pain |
Non-medication options
- Avoid acidic/spicy/rough foods
- Saltwater rinses; soft-bristle toothbrush
Everything in One Place
- Easy online scheduling — submit your assessment in minutes
- Real clinical review, not an automated approval
- Prescriptions sent directly to your preferred pharmacy when appropriate
- 100% virtual — no travel, no waiting room
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a canker sore different from a cold sore?
Canker sores form inside the mouth and aren't contagious, while cold sores (herpes labialis) appear on the outer lip, are caused by a virus, and are contagious -- they need entirely different treatments.
I get canker sores all the time -- is that normal?
Getting them occasionally is common, but recurring more than about six times a year, or having ulcers that are unusually large, numerous, or slow to heal, is treated as a different pattern that may benefit from further evaluation.
My first canker sore showed up in my 30s -- does that matter?
It can. A first-ever mouth ulcer appearing later in adulthood is looked at more carefully, since that pattern is less typical and warrants ruling out other causes.
What can I do to make the pain more bearable while it heals?
A topical numbing gel can take the edge off pain during eating and talking, saltwater rinses can help keep the area clean, and avoiding acidic, spicy, or rough foods (plus switching to a soft-bristle toothbrush) reduces irritation while it heals.
When should a canker sore be checked out rather than treated at home?
If it takes longer than two weeks to heal, leaves a scar, comes with fever or joint pain, or you notice similar sores elsewhere on your body, that goes beyond a typical canker sore and needs further assessment.
Oral Aphthous Ulcer Can Be Treated
Complete a real assessment online — a licensed Ontario clinical reviews your case and arranges treatment and prescription support when appropriate.
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