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Treating Canker Sores

Canker sores are quite the bother when they’re around, because even the smallest ones will cause discomfort and annoyances to the point that you’re changing your diet around the sores so that you can avoid the pain that comes along with them.

The good thing is that there are things you can do to get rid of canker sores, if at least reduce the pain some. The thing to remember is that the first few days of them showing up are the most painful, so this is where you need to be extra careful when eating or even talking. Luckily, smaller canker sores (known as minor canker sores) will usually heal and disappear no later than two weeks. It’s the major canker sores you need to be careful of, as those can last several weeks or even months, sometimes even leaving visible scarring.

Before we get into the ways to help with canker sores, though, just make sure to avoid spicy foods and alcohol (usually liquor and higher proof stuff) to allow the sores to heal.

Mouth rinse

Over the counter mouth rinses help to at least clean the area surrounding canker sores, which can at least provide immediate relief from pain or discomfort. Antiseptic mouthwashes are your best bet here, which can help prevent infection and even numb parts of your mouth.

Warm salt water

This advice never gets old and works for so many things. It’s a natural alternative, it helps to promote healing, and it can kill small amounts of bacteria that may be surrounding the canker sore. If you are prescribed medicated mouthwashes, though, salt water rinsing shouldn’t replace those but rather supplement them.

Over the counter gel

Topical medications like oral gels or pastes can directly numb the canker sore and even coat it in a layer that prevents spicy or acidic foods from irritating it. Just as well, there are patches out there that can line the canker sore just like a bandaid would so that it protects the ulcer from irritation.

Using a soft brush during brushing

One thing that people forget with canker sores is that they don’t want to damage them during the healing process. Sometimes, brushing with older or cheaper toothbrushes can do just that. The best thing you can do is use a soft brush to avoid irritating the canker sores and even letting them become infected. Proper hygiene is key, but working around the sores is even better.

Natural Methods for Dealing with Canker Sores

Canker sores are an incredibly annoying thing to deal with if you haven’t before or don’t know the best way to alleviate the pain, numb the area, and eat around it. As painful and irritable that they can be, though, there are options out there for you to help reduce the pain and speed up healing.

Take a look at some of our alternative methods that you may not have thought of outside of over the counter treatments like oral gels and antiseptic mouthwashes.

Taking vitamin B-12

This vitamin is great at supporting your brain and nervous system’s functionality, but it also has key parts to play in the generation of your red blood cells. In fact, there’s been a study that showed B-12 supplements helped to reduce the pain from canker sores in patients while also lowering the number of outbreaks and ulcers experienced in the span of a month. Who would’ve thought?

Chamomile tea and honey

A lot of people drink this anyway to help them wind down before bed and even fall asleep. A mug of this tea with some honey within can act as an antiseptic, which will help to ease the soreness from your mouth ulcers. The inflammation and pain may reduce over the span of days if you keep up on drinking this delicious tea.

Do keep in mind that this tea shouldn’t be used in place of actual medication but as a supplementary component to the whole process of healing. Honey itself can even be applied directly to the sore’s area. Just as well, soaking a chamomile tea bag in warm water and then applying it directly to the site of the ulcer can help to reduce any inflammation.

Avoid certain foods

You can probably already name off the types of foods you shouldn’t be eating while having a canker sore, but in case you don’t know: spicy, salty, and acidic foods really hurt when you have mouth ulcers. Not only can these foods cause the pain to flare up, they can also lengthen the healing process since it can reopen a sore.

Also, try to stay away from super hot drinks or foods with rough edges like chips.

Aloe vera

Ahhh, the heralded queen of sunburn healing. This can also be applied directly to your canker sore to help reduce pain, inflammation, and irritation. Aloe vera comes in clutch yet again. And even if the research on aloe vera’s benefits for canker sores is limited, it’s considered safe to use in your mouth, so you may as well give it a try.

Things You Need To Know About Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

You may have heard about the canker sores. These are the lesions which get created in our mouths. However, these sores clear up in a week or two. While occasional canker sores are not a big concern, Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) can be quite annoying.

RAS is basically the problem associated with the canker sores which keep coming back. According to an estimate, about 20 – 30 percent of the adults have RAS. This problem is even more common in children.

What does RAS look like?

Recurring canker sores can be divided into four forms. Hence, the appearance may be a bit different in each case.

The most common type of the RAS is Minor Aphthous Ulcer. This form makes around 85% of the total RAS cases. Generally, these sores are as small as 8 millimeter and they clear up within 10 days after appearance. The sores may appear on the floor of the mouth, tongue, inside portion of the lips or inner cheeks.
Another type of canker sores is the Major Aphthous Ulcer. These ulcers or sores are bigger than minor sores. The size of these sores can be of 10 millimeters and they take more time to heal. A Major Aphthous Ulcer might take few weeks to few months to clear up. These sores may also accompany fever and/or difficulty swallowing.
An even rarer type of recurring canker sores is the Herpetiform Aphthous Ulcer. Typically, this type of canker sores makes 5 – 10 percent of the Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis cases. This type of ulcer appears more commonly in women as compared to men. And these ulcers occur during adulthood.
The rarest form of RAS is the HIV-Associated Ulcer. It makes only 2 – 3 percent of total number of RAS cases. Typically, it occurs in the people who are HIV-positive.

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