If you’ve found a sore inside of your mouth, don’t mistake it for a contagious cold sore. Canker sores come and go on their own, and don’t spread to other parts of your body or to other people. You don’t have to necessarily start taking any medications, but you may need to change something in your diet.

A canker sore is basically an ulcer in the mouth, and can be unusually painful or barely visible. They can appear when certain medical conditions such as swollen lymph nodes occur, or when you eat acidic or spicy foods. Wearers of braces and other oral aids can experience canker sores due to something sharp cutting thin membranes in your cheek or tongue. Whatever the cause, if a canker sore is causing you pain consider using over-the-counter numbing relief. If canker sores continue to plague you, it is worth monitoring the patterns in which they appear – is it something you ate? Is it how you ate it (large pieces that may have punctured your mouth)? Are dental aids the source of irritation?

These stubborn little sores may be painful, but they’re not unbeatable. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and you will be healthier because of it.