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Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, are small sores that occur inside the mouth. You can get them on the tongue and on the inside of the cheeks and lips — the parts of the mouth that can move. They usually pop up alone, but sometimes they show up in small clusters.

The good news is that canker sores are not contagious like some other mouth sores, such as cold sores. So you can't spread canker sores by sharing food or kissing someone. Cold sores, however, are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which can pass from person to person. If you have a sore and you're wondering if it's of the cold or canker variety, just look at where it's located. Cold sores usually appear outside the mouth, around the lips, chin, or nostrils. Canker sores, on the other hand, are always found inside the mouth.

Various over-the-counter medicines can help to take the sting out of canker sores. Carbamide peroxide is a combination of peroxide and glycerin that cleans and coats the sore to protect it. Other over-the-counter remedies have benzocaine, menthol, and eucalyptol in them. These need to be applied repeatedly and may sting at first, but they can numb the sore and cut down on how long it lasts.
Try brushing and rinsing with toothpastes and mouthwashes that do not contain SLS.
Some homemade mouthwashes can ease pain as well. Try rinsing your mouth four times a day with a mixture of two ounces of hydrogen peroxide and two ounces of water or a combination of four ounces of water mixed with 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Swish the mixture in your mouth for about a minute and then spit it out — do not swallow it!
Dabbing a mixture of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide directly on the sore, followed by a bit of milk of magnesia, may reduce discomfort and speed healing.
Some doctors suggest putting wet black tea bags on sores. Black tea contains tannin, a substance that can relieve pain. You can also find tannin in some over-the-counter medicines.
You'll want to watch what you eat when you have a canker sore. Spicy foods and acidic foods such as lemons or tomatoes can be extremely painful on these open wounds. So can anything sharp, such as nuts or potato chips, which can poke or rub the sore. Be careful when you brush your teeth, too. It's important to keep your mouth clean, but brushing the sore itself with a toothbrush will make it worse.

If you have canker sores that do not get better after a few weeks, if the sores keep coming back, or if they make you feel so sick that you don't want to eat, see your doctor or dentist. Your doctor may want to do blood tests to find out if another condition — such as a vitamin deficiency, a problem with your immune system, or even a food allergy — could be contributing to the sores
Your doctor or dentist may prescribe a topical medicine or special mouthwash to help heal the sores. If the medicine needs to be applied directly to the sore, first blot the area dry with a tissue. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of the medication, and do not eat or drink for at least 30 minutes to make sure that the medicine is not immediately washed away. For severe mouth sores, your doctor or dentist may suggest other medications.

2006-07-04 17:14:48 · answer #1 · answered by purple 6 · 1 0

I get canker sores if I eat walnuts (so I try to avoid them, LOL) and the only thing that's helped me is Listerine. It's not an instant-fix but I swish it around in my mouth and make sure it touches the canker for a good 30 seconds or so. I work full-time so I'm usually doing this in the morning before work or at night before bed. If at night, the canker is usually remarkably better by morning. Same thing by evening if I've swished in the morning.

I have no idea why it works other than the antiseptic properties in Listerine (maybe) or if it would work for anyone else. But it works very well for me so I figured I'd post.

Hope this really does help! Cankers are awful!

2006-07-04 17:14:47 · answer #2 · answered by emarray 2 · 0 0

There is no known cause for canker sores and there is no cure. You just have to let it ride. They go away in about a week. You can use things like Orabase that will help with the pain. They usually show up after an injury inside the mouth like after biting your gum or something like that. I get them a lot, too.

2006-07-04 17:10:23 · answer #3 · answered by First Lady 7 · 0 0

My father had this for years until he discovered that he was actually allergic to anything citric. So he stopped eating fruits and started taking vitamins. Now everytime he eats an orange or drinks the juice he always gets a sore right away.

Your wives problem maybe similar?

2006-07-05 02:34:39 · answer #4 · answered by Matthew S 2 · 0 0

Try dabbing a little bit of baking soda on them. And they are not caused by the herpes virus. Cold sores are.

2006-07-04 17:11:08 · answer #5 · answered by bettyboop 6 · 0 0

Canker sores go away in their own time. Dont worry about, it should be gone in a few days.

2006-07-04 17:10:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Buy something like orajel, I get them too. They hurt, but if you put stuff on them for toothaches, they don't hurt, they go away in about a week.

2006-07-04 17:09:56 · answer #7 · answered by * 5 · 0 0

Divorce her - the dirty slapper's got some sexually transmitted disease like syphilis!

2006-07-04 17:09:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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