Cures for Canker Sores

Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, are lesions that appear in your mouth. Usually, canker sores will show up on your gums, under your tongue or inside your cheeks. Canker sores can be painful, making tasks like chewing and talking difficult. Canker sores, unlike cold sores, are not contagious. In most cases, a canker sore will resolve on its own in one to two weeks. However, there are some steps you can take to shorten the duration of a canker sore and reduce the pain associated with them.

Treatment

• Though small canker sores usually require little care, large and painful sores may need treatment. If you have multiple sores in your mouth, your doctor may give you a mouthwash made of steroid dexamethasone to cut down on pain and inflammation. There are also a variety of over-the-counter and prescription pastes such as Orabase that reduce pain and limit the duration of canker sores. Drugs used for other conditions such as the heartburn drug cimetidine are prescribed if canker sores do not heal or respond to other treatments. These drugs, however, have some serious side effects, so your doctor will only use them as a last resort.

Prevention

• To prevent a recurrence of canker sores it is important to know what triggers them. Salty and acidic foods, such as chips, pretzels and grapefruit, can irritate your mouth and bring on canker sores. Eating yogurt can help ward them off. It is also important to practice regular and proper oral hygiene. If you brush and floss after meals you can keep particles of food that trigger canker sores out of your mouth. If you wear braces or use other dental appliances, make sure your dentist takes care of any sharp edges that can irritate your mouth.

Home Remedies

• There are various home remedies you can try before going to see your doctor. Rinsing your mouth out with salt water or diluted hydrogen peroxide can cut down the pain and duration of the sore. You can also combine baking soda and water to make a paste and apply it to the lesion. While you have a canker sore, avoiding spicy and abrasive foods is a good idea. Other ideas to stop the pain include applying ice to the sore or dabbing a bit of Milk of Magnesia on the site.