Treatments for Canker Sores
What to do when you get a canker sore
Canker sore definition
Canker sores are painful sores in the mouth that are usually red, sometimes with a white coating over them. Canker
sores usually develop a red ring around a whitish area in your inner mouth. They usually form on the inside of your
lips, cheeks, the base of your gums, or under your tongue. Don’t confuse canker sores with fever blisters, which
develop on the corners or outsides of your lips. Although anyone can get canker sores, women in their teens and
early twenties tend to get them more often. Canker sores are not contagious, although certain families may be
predisposed towards them.
Doctors aren’t yet sure what causes canker sores. Many speculate a combination of factors at play, including poor
nutrition, menstrual periods, stress, and food allergies.
Steps to take with a canker sore
Fortunately, canker sores usually go away without any treatment. You can get quick pain relief by taking over the
counter medicines such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Topical medicines, such as Anbesol, Oragel, Orabase and
Zilactin-B, might keep your canker sores from becoming irritated by eating, drinking or brushing your teeth.
For a home remedy, try mixing equal amounts of Milk of Magnesia and Benadryl Allergy liquid. Swish a teaspoonful of
this mixture in your mouth for about 1 minute and then spit it out. If you do this every 4 to 6 hours, your canker
sores may hurt less. Some people believe taking vitamin B, C, or sucking on zinc lozenges helps with canker sores,
although this is not scientifically proven to have a correlation with canker sore development.
When to contact a medical professional
You should make an appointment with the doctor if your canker sores are large, last longer than 2 weeks or are so
sore that you can't eat or drink. If you have a fever or feel sick while you have canker sores, you should contact
your doctor just in case.
Canker sore relief
Doctors may give you prescription medicines such as anti-inflammatory inhibitors to help ease the pain of large
canker sores.
Canker sore prevention
Since doctors are unsure of canker sore causes, it is difficult to advise preventive measures. However, mouth
irritation can be provided through avoiding spicy, crunchy foods and using a soft toothbrush.
You can also keep your mouth fee of food that might cause a canker sore by brushing often and flossing between
meals. Consult your doctor if you get canker sores often, or if they are very painful.
Also, make sure to hydrate yourself well and always make sure you’re getting enough nutrients, since canker sores
are associated with poor diet.
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