Sour candy can definitively cause mouth sores, though the term “sore” describes a few different types of oral lesions. The intense acidity in these treats leads to immediate tissue damage, creating raw spots often mistaken for other mouth ulcers. This irritation is a direct consequence of the candy’s chemical composition. Understanding how these candies interact with the delicate lining of the mouth is key to relief and prevention.
How Acidity Irritates Oral Tissues
The distinctive flavor of sour candy is achieved by incorporating high concentrations of food acids, resulting in extremely low pH levels. Common ingredients include citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and sometimes fumaric acid, all highly corrosive in concentrated form. The pH of some popular sour candies registers between 1.6 and 3.0, which is closer to battery acid (pH 1.0) than to neutral water (pH 7.0).
When these acids dissolve, they cause a localized chemical burn by rapidly dissolving the protective mucosal lining, or epithelium, covering the tongue, cheeks, and palate. This process is a direct chemical erosion of the soft tissues. Prolonged contact, such as slowly sucking on hard sour candies, concentrates the acid in one spot, exacerbating the damage and creating a deep, painful irritation. The resulting raw area is the “sore” consumers experience shortly after eating the candy.
Distinguishing Chemical Burns from Canker Sores
The lesions caused by sour candy fall into two main categories: immediate chemical burns and delayed aphthous ulcers, also known as canker sores. Chemical burns, or erosions, result from the direct, caustic action of the acids on the oral tissue. These injuries typically appear as smooth, raw, red, and sometimes white-coated areas that correspond exactly to where the candy rested, such as the sides of the tongue or inner cheeks. They appear almost immediately, within hours of consumption, and the pain is localized to the site of contact.
Aphthous ulcers, or canker sores, are a different type of lesion often triggered by the chemical injury, rather than directly caused by it. These sores have a distinct visual characteristic: a small, round or oval shape with a white or yellowish center and a clearly defined, inflamed red border. Unlike the immediate onset of a chemical burn, a true canker sore often develops one to three days after the initial acid exposure. The acid acts as a trauma that breaks the mucosal barrier, which can then trigger a canker sore response in predisposed individuals.
Immediate Relief and Long-Term Prevention
For immediate relief of existing mouth sores, the goal is to neutralize the remaining acid and soothe the irritated tissue. Rinsing the mouth with a solution of warm water and salt helps clean the area and promote healing. A baking soda rinse, made by dissolving a teaspoon of baking soda in half a cup of warm water, is helpful because its alkaline nature actively neutralizes the acid.
Over-the-counter topical anesthetics containing benzocaine can be applied directly to the sore to temporarily numb the pain. During the healing process, avoid acidic, spicy, or abrasive foods, which delay recovery. For long-term prevention, reducing the frequency of consuming sour candies is the most effective measure.
If you choose to indulge, limit the time the candy stays in your mouth to reduce the duration of the acid attack. Rinsing your mouth thoroughly with plain water immediately after eating the candy helps wash away residual acid and return the mouth’s pH to a neutral level. Waiting at least an hour before brushing your teeth after consuming anything highly acidic is also recommended, as brushing too soon can spread the acid and physically scrub away softened enamel.