Those CANKER SORES!
If you've experienced these painful mouth ulcers, you are in good
company. Each year 20% of Americans suffer from canker sores also
known as aphthous ulcers or recurrent
aphthous stomatitis (RAS). They frequently affect adolescents
and women just prior to their menstrual periods. Women are twice
as likely to get canker sores as men, and if your parents had
them, you have a 90% chance of experiencing them yourself.
Symptoms
These mouth ulcers generally appear as small
white or yellow sores that are surrounded by redness. There can
be just one sore or several that cluster together that tend to
irritate the tongue, inside of the lips, cheeks or gums. This
condition ranges from mild to severe with the size of a mouth
sore being less than 3/8 of an inch in milder cases and larger
than that in more severe cases. The outbreak can last from 10
days to several months and may leave scarring after healing. Pain
can be severe and may interfere with talking, eating or sleeping.
Causes
The ultimate cause of canker sores is unknown,
but there seem to be some contributing factors that can trigger
them. Possible factors include:
- Irritating Toothpaste Ingredients - SLS
(sodium lauryl sulfate), tartar control agents and others.
- Heredity - Children of parents who had
mouth ulcers are at greater risk of having them too.
- Nutrients - Deficiencies in lysine, iron,
vitamin B12, and folic acid or a combination of these may encourage
flare-ups.
- Foods - Strawberries, walnuts, tomatoes,
chocolate, cereals, cheese, cow's milk and citrus fruits have
been known to trigger outbreaks in some people.
- Mouth Trauma - Biting the inside of the
mouth, a hard-bristled toothbrush, dentures or braces that cut
or scrape the soft mouth tissues can also incite mouth ulcers.
- Stress - This seems to be a significant
factor. Personality types that tend to be anxious, high-strung
or perfectionistic seem to be at a higher risk for mouth ulcers.
Specific stressful situations such as a job interview, exam
or giving a speech can also trigger an outbreak.
- Heat - Hot weather or heat produced by
physical exertion has also been known to cause trouble.
Combat Plan
If mouth ulcers are a problem, here are some
suggestions to try:
- Switch to a toothpaste such as Squigle
Enamel Saver® Toothpaste, that does not contain SLS - sodium
lauryl sulfate and other irritants which trigger canker sores.
- Start using a topical bactericidal agent such
as ORA5® immediately to stop pain
and promote faster healing.
- Apply Canker
Cover Patches or Canker
Care Gel directly to painful canker sores.
- Keep mouth clean and healthy and see your dentist
regularly.
- Stop biting the inside of your mouth and see
your dentist if this is occuring.
- Pay attention to any foods that you think may
be triggering an outbreak.
- Watch out for hard foods that may injure the inside of the
mouth.
- Destress your life as much as possible--anything you can do
to reduce stress is often beneficial.
- Also see Instruction
Sheet for Canker Sores by Squigle Enamel Saver® Toothpaste
for the management of painful mouth ulcers.
When to See Your Doctor
Although canker sores are painful and irritating,
they will usually run their own course without serious problems.
However, since some mouth sores can indicate the presence of more
serious diseases, it is advisable to consult your doctor in any
of the following cases:
- If pain becomes severe or if you are unable to
drink adequate fluids.
- If mouth ulcers increase to 4 or more in number,
last longer than several weeks, or occur more than 2 or 3 times
per year.
- If a fever develops.
- If something just doesn't seem right, or if you
have any reason to believe you are experiencing something more
serious than just canker sores, be sure to consult your doctor.
REFERENCES
Beers, M.D., Mark H., and Robert Berkow, M.D. The Merck Manual
of Diagnosis and Therapy. Whitehouse Station, NY: Merck Research
Laboratories, Seventeenth Edition, 1999.
Burton Goldberg Group. Alternative Medicine-The Definitive
Guide. Fife, WA: Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., 1995.
Editors of Prevention Health Books™. The Doctors Book
of Home Remedies for Preventing Disease. Ed. Hugh O'Neill.
Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, Inc., 1999.
Editors of TIME-LIFETM Books. The Medical Advisor-The Complete
Guide to Alternative & Conventional Treatments. Ed. Robert
Somerville. Richmond; VA: TIME-LIFE™, 1996.
Swartzberg, M.D., F.A.C.P., John Edward, and Sheldon Margen, M.D.
The UC Berkeley Wellness Self-Care Handbook-The Everyday Guide
to Prevention & Home Remedies. New York: Rebus, Inc., 1998.
