Could that Canker Sore Mean Celiac Disease?

hmm, negative blood tests only, huh?

This info needs to get out more! Canker sores and throat ulcers were my main symptom of Celiacs disease AND Crohn's. Gluten causes my mouth cankers and bakers yeast causes my severe throat ulcers. I had not had GI issues since childhood, which I seemed to outgrow, but suffered with severe cankers, as many as 9 at a time in my mouth. I would have never been diagnosed if it were not for trying a gluten free diet (the SCD) for my child's autism, my doctor thought I should give it a try myself when I mentioned it to him. The cankers went away! I was 41 years old and had spent years suffering, not to mention numerous doctor visits. I can always tell when I get a trace of gluten or yeast extract, I'll get a canker sore.

As a dentist (retired after 30+ years) and a sufferer of cancer sores for many years, I tried many remedies to no avail. I had numerous patients that had outbreaks much worse than mine.

Most had to "suck it up" and bear the pain. I researched out cures but never found anything in the literature (both medical and dental- I had full access to both the AMA and ADA web sites). I had been told they were from "stress". I was a long distance runner and noticed that after long workouts and hard training that they were more frequent. As I remember what foods that I was consuming after these workouts, I now realize that it was the huge quantities of gluten that caused the outbreaks.

My epithany came in July'05 when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease (age 62) and started my new gluten free diet. To date, I have not had a full blown outbreak, only small localized ulcers that heal within 1-2 days. (probably from contamination)

In the past, if I had bitten my lip, the ensuing ulcers would last at least 1 week, but now, they're gone by the next day.

Since I have retired, I no longer have access to these dental/medical sites and wonder if any articles have been written about the gluten intolerance/Celiac link to canker sores?? My dentist had no idea about the relationship after asking him at a recent visit.

Anyone that gets these sores in clumps, can be in so much pain that it is debilitating - unable to eat or drink.

I can add the missing (formerly common) canker sores to the laundry list of untreated symptoms that have cleared up magically on a gluten free diet. Biting my cheek at night clears in days not weeks. Some of mine were laterally symmetrical and other symptoms indicated Niacin deficiency in spite of eating adequate Niacin: poor absorption, can do that.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease by endoscopy three years ago, I have followed a gluten-free diet. I no longer suffer from the following: canker sores, cold sores, charlie horse leg cramps, rice krispie noises in my neck when I move my head side to side, constipation, bloating, and anemia. I have also helped three friends get diagnosed by describing my symptoms before I was diagnosed.

This is a great article, It's well written and quite informative. It's known that there are no cures for canker sores. Over the counter products speed recovery and offer pain relief to make our lives less miserable. Canker sores can run in families and seem to follow certain age groups. Further studies in diets and personal hygiene may offer a good prevention program if certain individuals are prone to these sores.

Thanks for a great article.

I've had canker sores all my life and just found out that I probably have Celiac disease and this is my only obvious symptom. I've found that avoiding toothpastes that contain sodium laurel sulfate really helps avoid outbreaks and the product Ulcer Ease helps with the pain when they do occur.

My mom is 83 and started having canker sores (did not respond to treatment), anemia, vitamin D deficiency, terrible edema in legs, distended abdomen, hypoparathyroid with no known cause. They did a celiac panel (after I begged) and said she was negative. I just found out I have one celiac gene. I'm going to demand they test mom's...thanks for making this connection.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease by endoscopy three years ago, I have followed a gluten-free diet. I no longer suffer from the following: canker sores, cold sores, charlie horse leg cramps, rice krispie noises in my neck when I move my head side to side, constipation, bloating, and anemia. I have also helped three friends get diagnosed by describing my symptoms before I was diagnosed.

Just a clarification. Almost all cold sores are caused by HSV1 (herpes simplex 1 virus) and could not/ would not go away due to a chande in diet. Cold sores and Canker sores are NOT the same thing.

As a dentist (retired after 30+ years) and a sufferer of cancer sores for many years, I tried many remedies to no avail. I had numerous patients that had outbreaks much worse than mine.

Most had to "suck it up" and bear the pain. I researched out cures but never found anything in the literature (both medical and dental- I had full access to both the AMA and ADA web sites). I had been told they were from "stress". I was a long distance runner and noticed that after long workouts and hard training that they were more frequent. As I remember what foods that I was consuming after these workouts, I now realize that it was the huge quantities of gluten that caused the outbreaks.

My epithany came in July'05 when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease (age 62) and started my new gluten free diet. To date, I have not had a full blown outbreak, only small localized ulcers that heal within 1-2 days. (probably from contamination)

In the past, if I had bitten my lip, the ensuing ulcers would last at least 1 week, but now, they're gone by the next day.

Since I have retired, I no longer have access to these dental/medical sites and wonder if any articles have been written about the gluten intolerance/Celiac link to canker sores?? My dentist had no idea about the relationship after asking him at a recent visit.

Anyone that gets these sores in clumps, can be in so much pain that it is debilitating - unable to eat or drink.

Thank you Dr. Frank. I am a dental asst who has suffered from these sores for almost ten years. I am in my late 30's. I think I have celiac disease. The dentist I used to work for laughed when I would have really bad sores. Like you said...in clumps. I wanted to die. He never had an answer. He would say I was just a freak. He thought it was all in my head. I have been taking a Zinc supplement for over a year now and it helps. They are no where near as bad as they used to be. Some of them used to take weeks to heal. Sometimes even months! Now they last about a week on the Zinc. I will give a gluten free diet a try. Thanks again for posting. You changed my life tonight.

I found out I have celiac disease and was diagnosed after having multiple mouth sore breakouts. Most of them were canker sores, but I also have the herpes virus. For me, eating gluten seemed to also depress my immune system. And then that can cause the herpes virus to come out of the nerves. Also, I would get ulcers from exposure to gluten inside of my mouth and severe bloating, stomach pain, and diarrhea. I thought the stomach pain was dairy for years, but I was not eating it and still had symptoms. I wish I had seen this article years ago. I am just so glad we were able to figure it out. I am gluten free, healthy, and happy today.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease by endoscopy three years ago, I have followed a gluten-free diet. I no longer suffer from the following: canker sores, cold sores, charlie horse leg cramps, rice krispie noises in my neck when I move my head side to side, constipation, bloating, and anemia. I have also helped three friends get diagnosed by describing my symptoms before I was diagnosed.

Thank you - that is exactly what happens to me!