Effective Treatment Of Mouth Sores

Have you ever suffered through an outbreak of mouth sores so severe it left you absolutely desperate for a treatment method that works? You know what I'm talking about, don't you? I'm talking about an episode where two or more ulcers begin on your inner cheek, bridge the gap between cheek and gum, and invade the gum itself. You can't chew, swallow, or even talk without inflicting discomfort and pain on yourself. And as for your social life... Well, you can forget about that for a while, too.

Growing up, the only treatment I had for mouth sores was to swish a warm saline solution over the affected area. It stung like crazy. And even though the saline solution dried out the ulcers, perhaps helping them heal a bit more quickly, I think that I would have experienced much less pain by allowing the mouth sores to heal on their own. Canker sore treatment methods today are more varied and much more advanced. Let's examine some of these methods.

Commercial oral anesthetics provide a treatment method that's as simple as it is affordable. You can carry a small container of Ora-Jel, Numzit, or Anbesol with you. These products are easy to use, can be applied quickly, and can be applied in public without attracting a lot of attention. These topical anesthetics are great for providing temporary pain relief.

Mouth sores may also be treated using products developed specifically for that purpose. Canker Covers are small tablet-like patches that cover and protect the sores. They stick to mouth sores easily and spread out to form clear gel patches. The patches deliver pain relief medicine while protecting the mouth sores from irritants such as food, drink, and braces. Canker-Rid is another product in this group. Made from a proprietary blend of honey bee products, it appears to deliver speedy relief, especially if applied at the first sign of an outbreak.

Pharmaceuticals such as Aphthasol are available via prescription only. Aphthasol is the first drug approved by the FDA for treating recurrent aphthous ulcers (mouth sores), more commonly known as canker sores. In clinical trials, Aphthasol has been shown to promote 90% faster pain resolution and 72% faster healing than doing nothing for your mouth sores. However, be forewarned... It will sting and/or burn more than any other product, but hey... no pain, no gain. Right?

Finally, remember what they say about an ounce of prevention? There can be little doubt that the best thing you can do for mouth sores is to prevent them. How is that done? You can start by checking your toothpaste's ingredients. If it contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), consider replacing it immediately.

SLS is a surfactant used to combine oil-based and water-based ingredients. For the manufacturer, it offers the additional benefit of making your toothpaste bubble and foam. Being a surfactant, sodium lauryl sulfate's job is to break down cell walls.

Unfortunately, as tests have shown, SLS can do the same thing to the cells that make up the soft tissue in your mouth. This kind of cell wall breakdown can allow the bacteria which cause the mouth sores to penetrate more easily. You also need to be aware of the fact that SLS can play a major role in the formation of chronic bad breath and halitosis.

You should also avoid crushing injuries to the soft tissue. A single, accidental bite to the inside of your lip or cheek can result in an outbreak. Irritation from dental appliances such as braces can also bring on an outbreak. The injury that's most overlooked, however, is the one caused by the syringe the dentist uses to inject a topical anesthetic before beginning a procedure.

As a child, I required a lot of dental work. Inevitably, a few days to a week after an injection, I'd develop one or more mouth sores around the injection site. You can be sure that my wife and I have spent a good deal of time teaching our children to practice good oral hygiene from when they were very young.

So, try to imagine never again having to endure those nasty little ulcers. I can't say for sure that that's what's going to happen. There's evidence that many people have a genetic disposition toward developing repeated severe outbreaks. But the fact of the matter is that nearly everyone experiences them to some degree at one time or another. I was one of the less fortunate ones. My mom and my brother both suffered with them. Whenever I got them, there would be several at a time, and they were huge. If you're in this situation, too, I do have some good news for you. The frequency and severity of attacks will diminish significantly as you get older. Given this and the fact that there are so many different ways available for treating mouth sores, you should have a pretty good life after all.

I've finished reading about the treatment of mouth sores.
Go To Home Page