|
Canker Sores - Quick links to information about mouth ulcers. |
Canker sores : OTC treatments and cures.
Does a cure for canker sores really exist?
While there is no specific cure for canker sores (recurrent minor aphthous ulcers), there are various treatments and remedies that can be useful in providing relief (either by way of limiting their duration or mitigating the pain and discomfort they cause). The range of available treatments includes:
Over-the-counter products that can be useful in treating canker sores.
Most of the over-the-counter (OTC) medications that a dentist might recommend to a patient as a remedy for their canker sores will provide their benefit by way of one, or more, of the treatment modes outlined below. Please note, before using any OTC product you should thoroughly read its directions, indications for usage, and precautions so to make sure that it is suitable and appropriate for your use.
- Toothpastes and mouthwashes that do not contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
- The vast majority of mouthwashes and toothpastes found on the market contain the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate ("SLS").
Research has suggested that this compound can be a risk factor for, or have an aggravating effect upon, canker sores.
A few makers of toothpastes and mouthwashes formulate versions of their products so they specifically do not contain SLS. And people who suffer from canker sores may find that using these products may help to minimize the number of outbreaks they experience and/or lessen the degree of pain associated with the canker sores they do get.
Since the use of SLS free products is such an easy step to take it makes sense to consider incorporating them into one's planned therapy for canker sores, even if other medications and treatments are utilized also.
- Pastes that create a protective barrier film over canker sores.
- Various manufacturers have developed pastes which, to some degree, have the ability to adhere to moist oral tissues. When this type of product is applied to the surface of a canker sore it can provide a protective barrier film over the sore's ulcerated surface which can help to minimize the sore's exposure to potentially irritating substances (foods and drinks). These treatments themselves do not speed up the healing of canker sores, they simply cover over and protect them.
- Products that numb canker sores.
- Canker sores can be very sore to the touch, even to the point that a person may need to limit their oral activities. Some OTC products contain numbing agents (such as the benzocaine, benzoin tincture, lidocaine, camphor, and phenol) and these products can be useful in minimizing the degree to which canker sores interfere with normal daily activities. Some manufacturers incorporate their numbing agents into those
pastes that can create a protective barrier film over a canker sore's surface.
Make sure you read the directions for these numbing products and use them judiciously. In some cases these products are indicated for short-term usage only.
- Antibacterial treatments.
- Some OTC canker sore treatments contain ingredients (such as copper sulfate and iodine) that serve as antibacterial agents. These products can help to prevent a secondary bacterial infection from forming in the canker sore lesion.
Some research has suggested that antibacterial mouth rinses can speed up the healing of canker sores and also help to minimize their pain. As an example, some people who suffer from canker sores have reported that rinsing with an antiseptic type mouthwash two to three times a day is beneficial.
- Products that cleanse canker sore ulcerations.
- The accumulation of debris on a canker sore's surface can have an inhibitory effect on its healing. A number of OTC products can be found that aid in the removal of this debris. Some of the active ingredients often found in these types of products are: carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium perborate monohydrate.
