What No One Ever Told Me About | Canker Sores

Canker Sores – Why We Get Them, How to Ease the Pain and Get Rid of Them Fast

What No One Ever Told Me About | Canker Sores. This is the truth !! I’ve been getting canker sores for as long as I can remember – teenage years up until now. Sometimes they’ll just appear out of the blue, I’ve always thought it might have been the foods I was eating or vitamins I was lacking. But mostly they appear when I accidently bite my lip, or bite the inside of my mouth, or if I hit my gums or skin while brushing my teeth.

And now that I’m older (ahem) and was thinking I should be out of this canker sore phase of my life, I still randomly get them. So what’s up with that? So I delved into some research and found there are some things “no one ever told me about” when it comes to Canker Sores – which pretty much went against everything I’ve always thought about these mouth sores. First of all … THEY’RE NOT A FORM OF HERPES (where did I ever get that idea from) and THEY ARE NOT HEREDITARY (always thought they were seeing my dad used to get them and my brother as well).

So let’s set the record straight on Canker Sores so you too won’t be misled as to why you’ve been getting them too. And if you’re looking for ways to ease the pain when you get them and how you can successfully speed up their removal … keep reading.

CANKER SORES – WHAT ARE THEY, WHY YOU GET THEM, AND HOW TO GET RID OF THEM

Canker Sores (medical term – Aphthous Ulcers), are small sores that develop on the base of your gums or on the soft tissues in your mouth.

1. Why do you get Canker Sores?
   Stress, minor injury to the inside of the mouth, acidic fruits and vegetables, and hot spicy foods can trigger the development of canker sores. Sometimes they’re connected to allergies and hormonal changes.
2. And speaking of Stress. Many people who are prone to developing canker sores find that their outbreaks are stress-related. A combination of emotional stress and fatigue can be a perfect storm for the development of mouth sores.
3. Are Canker Sores viral or bacterial?
   They are not. And they are also not contagious so you can’t pass them on to another person.
4. Do deficiencies cause Canker Sores?
   Many studies have been done and the findings were that canker sores can be either caused by, or triggered by, a lack of folic acid, zinc, or iron. They also found that a calcium deficiency was a cause however was also linked to aggravating them as well.
5. How do you heal a Canker Sore fast?
   To help relieve pain and speed healing, consider these tips: 1) Rinse your mouth with one of these solutions (although it may be painful, it is still effective as it may help dry them out). Use salt water or baking soda rinse (dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 cup warm water). 2) Dab a small amount of milk of magnesia on your canker sore a few times a day. 3) I’ve also tried using a paste made with ALUM (found in the spice section of your grocery store) – but just a heads up IT BURNS. Kind of a “hurts so good” feeling as it makes my sores disappear quickly.
6. Why is my Canker Sore not healing?
   Some cases of complex canker sores are caused by an underlying health condition, such as an impaired immune system or nutritional deficiencies involving vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron. Other medical conditions like gastrointestinal tract disease, celiac disease, or Crohn’s disease could also be the culprit. If this is the case, make an appointment to see your physician.
7. Can you put isopropyl alcohol on a Canker Sore?
   Use a drying agent, for example 70% rubbing alcohol or Blistex ointment, on the sores when they first appear.
8. Does Orajel heal Canker Sores?
   Orajel™ Film-Forming Gel for Canker Sores provides instant, effective relief from canker sore pain. The unique formula contains two powerful pain relievers in a patented gel that shields and protects inner-mouth sores for hours.
9. What vitamins prevent Canker Sores?
   Many physicians have found that a nightly dose of vitamin B12 is a simple, effective and low risk therapy to prevent Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis, better known as “canker sores.” You can cut the risk of getting canker sores by as much as 25%.
10. What foods help with Canker Sore Pain?
    First of all you should eat soft, bland foods such as yogurt or cream soup – how about checking out a SMOOTHIE !! (click here to see the smoothies I have on this website). Drink cold fluids, such as water or iced tea. If you have a need to chew, cut your food into small pieces. Try to avoid coffee (arghh), chocolate, spicy or salty foods, citrus fruits or juices, nuts, seeds, and tomatoes.

BONUS SUGGESTION – YOUR TOOTHBRUSH

AND LASTLY – REPLACE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH OFTEN – I got this suggestion from my brother who too, used to get canker sores a lot – one of the reason I also though they were hereditary – but he likes spicy hot foods, so there’s that !! So I toss my toothbrushes every other week. And by doing so I have really cut down the frequency of getting canker sores … unless of course I bite the inside of my mouth when eating or whack the inside while brushing. I guess I just need to chew my food more slowly and calm down and not be so aggressive while brushing.

So there you have it – everything I’ve found on canker sores and wish someone had told me about sooner. Oh well, live and learn. Hope this helps – until next time. CIAO 🙂