Canker sore is a wound in the mouth that can cause pain and discomfort. The wound can be oval or round, and white or yellow with red edges caused by inflammation. It usually disappears and heals by itself within 10 to 14 days. It can occur in all parts of the oral cavity, especially on the inside of the cheeks or lips, as well as on the surface of the gums and tongue. It is rarely found in the gums and palate.
A canker sore or more can occur in the oral cavity. In general, the reported incidence of canker sores varies from 0.5% to 67%. All this time the incidence of canker sores in Indonesian society in general has never been reported.
The exact cause of the emergence of canker sores is yet unknown. Some risk factors that are suspected as causes of canker sores include genetic factors (heredity); trauma such as being bitten; nutritional factors such as vitamin B complex deficiency and folic acid; food and drug allergies; and psychosocial factors such as stress, fatigue and depression.
This research is a secondary analysis from 2007 Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS 2007) data aimed at analyzing the relationship between depression and canker sores. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) questionnaire consisting of 10 questions. Canker sores are based on the respondent’s report without a clinical examination. Some other factors included in the analysis are the stress level reported by the respondent, age and gender.
This research found that stress and depression are risk factors for canker sores. The higher the symptoms of depression and stress experienced, the higher the number of canker sores occur. Previous research stated that there are differences in the phenomenon of depression in Asian society and Western society.
In Western society, depression is often indicated by feelings such as guilt, individualistic attitudes and self-control; while in Asian society who believe in the concept of unity of body and soul, depression often arises as a health complaint. Our research results show that canker sores can be a manifestation of symptoms of depression and stress in Indonesian society. (*)
Author: Ninuk Hariyani
Details of the research available at
