What Causes Mouth Sores?

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

A vitamin B12 deficiency causes an individual to have a shortage of healthy red blood cells because the vitamin is required for red blood cell formation. Vitamin B12 is also essential for the management of numerous enzymes and amino acids in the body. While the exact mechanism of how a vitamin B12 deficiency causes an individual to develop mouth sores is not clear, it is thought to be related to altered acidity in the mouth and digestive tract. When the acidity in the mouth is not where it should be, it can make the mucous membranes more sensitive and more vulnerable to damage than they would be otherwise. Increased vulnerability to damage means the individual will have mouth sores more frequently than individuals who do not have a vitamin B12 deficiency. Mouth sores in vitamin B12 deficiency patients may also take longer to heal than they do in healthy individuals.