Canker Sores – Effective Ways to Heal Them

Canker Sores – Effective Ways to Heal Them

It is important for you to visit a dentist twice a year to have a routine examination and cleaning of your teeth. But when you have a canker sore, then you want an effective way to heal the condition as fast as possible. Canker sores are benign ulcers that can occur inside your mouth on the tongue, palate or gums, but you might develop these ulcers on your lips instead. Approximately 20 percent of the human population will experience canker sores during their lifetime. The condition is caused by immunity problems, food allergies or nutritional deficiencies. These small painful ulcers can last for up to 10 days without treatment but you can heal canker sores with several types of treatments.

Healing Canker Sores One: Oral Medications A physician can prescribe oral medications for your canker sores, a form of treatment which is a good idea when you have numerous mouth ulcers. Some of the medications that are available include: 

Clofazimine

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Prednisolone

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Dapsone

Oral prescription medications are used for 10 days, and your physician will provide information on when and how often to swallow a tablet.

Healing Canker Sores Two: Topical Ointments When you develop a canker sore on your lip or inside the mouth, it is easy to find overthe-counter topical medications at local drugstores. These canker sore medications are available in brand-name or generic formats and you must follow the manufacturer’s directions to avoid any problems. Some topical ointments are designed for the lips while

other formulations are made to use inside the mouth. These medications may contain corticosteroids or numbing agents to heal your canker sores.

Healing Canker Sores Three: Medications to Reduce Pain and Inflammation There are good reasons to use pain medications when you have a canker sore, including being able to consume food and beverages without discomfort. In addition, analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications can help to heal canker sores. If you are in pain from a canker sore, then you are more likely to irritate the ulcer with your tongue or fingers. However, by eliminating most of the pain, you are not as tempted to touch the sores, helping the ulcers to heal quickly. You can take acetaminophen, aspirin or other over-the-counter pain medications, or you can use analgesic mouth rinses or sprays that are sold at a drugstore.

Healing Cold Sores Four: Avoiding Certain Foods and Beverages Certain types of foods or beverages can increase your chances of developing canker sores along with irritating the ulcers that are already inside your mouth. To help the sores heal faster, avoid spicy or acidic foods and beverages. Changing to a bland diet that contains softer foods and cool beverages can help your mouth and lips to heal faster.

The foods that may irritate a canker sore include: 

Tomatoes – fresh or canned

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Citrus fruit – oranges and lemons

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Spices – cayenne pepper or oregano

If you have canker sores inside your mouth during a dental office visit, then inform your Chandler dentist because they may want to reschedule your examination, cleaning or treatment for a later time. To help canker sores heal faster, a dentist can also prescribe medication for your mouth ulcers.