What causes cancker sores in your mouth?!
Question:
What causes cancker sores in your mouth?
Answers:
Canker sores are shallow, painful sores in your mouth. They are usually red or may sometimes have a white coating over them. You might get them on the inside of your lips, the insides of your cheeks, the base of your gums or under your tongue. Canker sores are different from fever blisters, which usually are on the outside of your lips or the corners of your mouth.
Anyone can get canker sores, but women people in their teens and 20s get them more often. Canker sores may run in families, but they aren't contagious. Doctors don't know what causes canker sores, but they may be triggered by stress, poor nutrition, food allergies and menstrual periods.
What should I do when I get canker sores?
Canker sores usually go away without any treatment. For pain relief, you can try taking ibuprofen (brand name: Advil) or acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol). Other medicines, such as Anbesol, Oragel, Orabase and Zilactin-B, might keep your canker sores from becoming irritated by eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. You put these medicines right on the sore.
You can also mix equal amounts of Milk of Magnesia and Benadryl Allergy liquid. After it's mixed, you can swish a teaspoonful in your mouth for about 1 minute and then spit it out. If you do this every 4 to 6 hours, your canker sores may hurt less.
Some people think that sucking on zinc lozenges, taking vitamin C or vitamin B complex, using a sage-and-chamomile mouthwash or taking a lysine supplement helps their canker sores heal faster.
When should I call my family doctor about canker sores?
If your canker sores are large, last longer than 2 weeks or are so sore that you can't eat or drink, you should make an appointment to see your doctor. You should make an appointment with your doctor, too, if you also have a fever or feel sick when you have canker sores. Tell your doctor is you have canker sores more than 3 times a year.
What can my doctor do to help my canker sores?
Several prescription medicines may help with canker sores. If your canker sore is large, painful or won't heal, your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory (Aphthasol or Kenalog in Orabase) or collagenase inhibitor (Tetracycline or Peridex). Talk with your doctor to decide what treatment is best for you.
What's the right way to use the medicine for my canker sores?
You may be asked to "swish and swallow" or "swish and spit" the medicine. This means that you swish the medicine around in your mouth, especially around your canker sore, for a few minutes before swallowing or spitting it out.
If your doctor has you use a medicine to put on the canker sore, you should dry the sore with a tissue. Next, put a small amount of medicine on a cotton swab (like a Q-Tip). Then, put the medicine on your canker sore using the cotton swab. Don't eat or drink for 30 minutes. If you do, the medicine will be washed away. Be sure to use the medicine for as many days as your doctor tells you to.
What can I do to prevent canker sores?
Unfortunately, doctors don't know of anything that prevents canker sores from forming. However, using a toothpaste that does not contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) and other irritating ingredients (one brand name: Squigle), avoiding hard, crunchy or spicy foods and chewing gum may help reduce mouth irritation. Brushing your teeth after meals, using a soft toothbrush and flossing every day will also keep your mouth free of food that might cause a canker sore. If you get canker sores often, or if they're very painful, talk to your family doctor.
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