Canker Sores

It may only be the size of a pencil eraser, but a canker sore can be hard to ignore. You know its there-and it hurts like a dickens, especially whenever you eat or drink something.
Fortunately, a canker sore is usually a fairly short-live misery, and there are a few things you can do to find some temporary relief.
First, however, you need to be able to tell the difference between a canker sore and what’s called a cold sore, or fever blister, which is caused by the herpes virus. A cold sore often begins as several tiny blisters that eventually form one larger sore. They appear most often on the lips and face.
In contrast, canker sores usually travel alone. And unlike a sore caused by the herpes virus, a canker sore is not contagious. A canker sore has a yellow or white-gray center with a well-defined red border. It generally measures three to five millimeters in diameter (approximately the size of a pencil eraser) and is usually located on the inside of the lip or cheek or, less commonly, on the tongue.

9 SOOTHING STRATEGIES


GET OUT THE STYPTIC PENCIL.
Many a barber has used a styptic pencil to stem bleeding from minor nicks and cuts. Used on a canker sore, it will numb the nerve endings, temporarily reducing the pain.

MAKE YOUR OWN REMEDY.
It may sound like a strange combination, but several dentists swear by this homemade remedy. Mix together equal amounts of Milk of Magnesia or Kaopectate and Benylin or Benadryl. Milk of Magnesia and Kaopectate both contain ingredients that coat wet tissue, such as those in the mouth.

GO OVER THE COUNTER.
Use over the counter products like Orabase with Benzocaine. Its like a bandage. It covers up the surface. If you use something that keeps the sore coated, you’ll help prevent a secondary infection.

TAKE TWO ASPIRIN.
You can take aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to help relieve the pain, especially before meals if the canker sore interferes with eating.

STICK TO COOL FOODS.
Stay away from foods that are hot-in terms of temperature and spiciness. They’ll burn and sitting tender canker sores.

BE GENTLE.
Wield that toothbrush extra carefully to avoid irritating a canker sore. You may want to avoid rough, scratchy food such as chips for the time being as well.

STOP BAD HABIT.
Alcohol and smoking can irritate a canker sore. A little abstinence may provide a lot of relief.

CHECK OUT YOUR DIET.
One old wives tale blames canker sores on tomatoes. Experts admit some sort of allergic reaction to food may blame, but other point out that food allergies can cause lesions that resemble canker sores.

LEAVE TO HANDLE STRESS.
That’s the best advice for preventing canker sores. Try to find some method of relieving or coping with stress. Example that you might try include engaging in a hobby, an exercise program, yoga, or meditation.