How to Deal with Canker Sores
About one in six people get them. They hurt like hell and can make talking, eating and swallowing miserable for days. Like a bee, canker sores are diminutive in size, but can wreak their own brand of misery.
I’d like to be the one announcing a permanent cure, but no one really knows what causes recurrent mouth ulcers – or aphthous stomatitis. These nasty little nuisances afflict about 20 percent of the population, causing painful sores on the tongue, gums, throat and cheeks. Sorry, ladies. You seem to be more prone to canker sores than us guys.
Canker sores appear suddenly, take about two days to form and stick around 10-14 days on average. They look like white areas, surrounded by red irritated tissue. These circular sores can erupt singly or a dozen at a time for the very unlucky. They tend to be less than ¼ inch in diameter, although I have seen some that are nickel-sized.
Canker sores are not to be confused with cold sore lesions, which are caused by the herpes virus and often appear on the outer lip. Canker sores are not thought to be virus-born, but are believed to be linked to an immune system malfunction, heredity, hormonal fluctuations or environmental stressors, such as a bacterial invasion to damaged mucosal cells in the mouth.
Brushing too vigorously with a hard toothbrush can result in an errant jab to the gums. These minor injuries can become ulcerated – and BINGO, a canker sore!
There’s no known way to categorically prevent canker sores, but there are precautions you can take. If my patients complain of pain, I suggest a number of options to make them more comfortable. Some of the remedies numb the affected tissue, others promote healing, and some treatments are preventive in nature.
A Few Canker Sore Tips
- Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled brush. Slow down. Be gentle.
- Stay away from toothpaste and mouthwashes that contain whitening agents as some are very irritating.
- Avoid abrasive foods such as nacho chips, gum drops or crusty bread. Well, at least try to.
- Eat fewer acidic or spicy foods. Skip the OJ and the hot salsa for a while if you have active canker sores.
- Rinse your mouth with a warm salt water solution (2 tablespoons in 8 ounces of warm water) or use a commercial antimicrobial rinse, such as TheraBreath Oral Rinse or PerioTherapy Oral Rinse. Some find relief with a gentle rinse made of one teaspoon of baking soda mixed into half a cup of warm water.
- Cover sores with topical gels. Over-the-counter products such as Anbesol, Orabase B, Kank-A and Orajel offer anesthetic relief. There are junior and adult strength variations. Homeopathic remedies include baking soda pastes or daubs of milk of magnesia applied to lesions.
At times some of my patients need stronger intervention. Aphthasol is an FDA-approved canker sore treatment, available by prescription only. It reduces pain and speeds healing. Debacterol, another prescription medicine, cauterizes sores chemically and can cut healing time in half. Serious canker cases may require a corticosteroid.
- Reduce stress. Go for walks. Do yoga or tai chi. Listen to chill music. Cross off some things on your calendar. Stress is a known factor.
- Take a vitamin/mineral supplement that includes B-6, B-12, zinc, folic acid and iron, but don’t overdo it.
- Quit smoking. Cigarette use may make you more prone to canker sores.
Tip of the Day: Each year 15 million dental injuries occur during sporting events. Trauma to teeth and soft tissue can become ulcerated and painful and difficult to restore. Invest in a good sports mouth guard to avoid injury, pain, healing time and the outrageous expense of dental restoration.
Best regards, AM
