How to Treat Canker Sores

These painful sores inside the mouth may be triggered by stress, injury, nutritional deficiencies, menstruation or genetic factors. They usually clear up in one to two weeks.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Anesthetics
• Antibiotic Creams
• Electric Toothbrushes
• Extra-soft Toothbrushes
• Mouthwash
• Toothpaste
• Toothpaste

1. Avoid hot and spicy foods, which can irritate canker sores.

2. Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush to lessen aggravation.

3. Apply crushed ice or an over-the-counter oral anesthetic to the sore to numb the pain.

4. Practice good oral hygiene. Rinse with mouthwash or salt water, and try brushing with a toothpaste free of sodium laurel sulfate, which has been implicated in aggravating canker sores.

5. Consult a doctor if sores persist longer than two weeks, recur more than two or three times a year, are extremely painful, or occur with other symptoms, such as fever, diarrhea or skin rash.

6. Talk to your doctor about treating the sores with oral or topical steroids or oral antibiotics.

Tips & Warnings

• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[KMB7001]

on 11/24/2008 Dissolve an uncoated aspirin on in your mouth and swish the saliva/aspirin around, concentrating on the canker sore. Do this a couple of times a day and your canker sore will be painless and healing fast. A miracle cure.

[Katushia]

on 10/22/2008 thanks.

[idler]

on 8/22/2008 Biotene in particular is a very effective toothpaste for preventing canker sores. Using regular toothpaste, I have canker sores nearly continuously. Using Biotene seems to eliminate about 75% of the sores. Eating live-culture yogurt or swishing a probiotic around in the mouth may help, too.

[eyeopening]

on 6/9/2008 Excellent article! Very well done.

[kaydubber]

on 4/27/2008 As a child I was constantly battling canker sores. Add braces and you have a kid with a perpetually painful mouth. I read somewhere that placing a REAL aspirin on the canker sore until the aspirin dissolved, then spitting it out, would help cure a canker sore. I tried it and I swear that canker sore was GONE, GONE, GONE, BABY GONE by the next day! Since then my canker sore outbreaks have decreased significantly but when I do get the first sign of one I pop an aspirin on it. It's almost like magic!