[vermontgirl]

Does anyone know anything about canker sores. My husband gets them chronically and they are the size of craters. The ones he has now are so terrible that he cant smile or eat. Please help! Any information would be great.

 

[Marcee]

I put alum (used for pickling) on mine and they shrink up rather quick.

 

[bec]

I just posted last week about canker sores in my daughter. The only thing that I could come up with was the toothpast we were using. It had SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfite, I think). It was a natural, Tom's of Maine toothpaste, so I was surprised. Anyway, we've switched, and I'm hoping that will be the end of it.

The other suggestions I got were baking soda, salt gargles, and diluted hydrogen peroxide. Oh, and alum. None of those solutions would be tolerated by my 6 year old, but you might have more luck with your dh.

Good luck! I know how much they hurt!

 

[desertpenguin]

i get canker sores when i've been consuming a lot of sugar. my best friend just mentioned the same thing to me.

 

[tsume]

ouch! I get those really bad - especially inside the cheek by where my teeth meet. I have gotten them really bad ever since I was little. My great-grandmother would rub salt in them!!

Since using a toothpaste that's SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) free I haven't had one canker sore.

Good luck to the mister.

 

[LeahBoo]

I used to get them all the time until I started using Toms of Maine toothpaste. If I run out and use the cheap stuff for even a few days, I get them again. Mine has Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, so I don't think that is the problem for me.

I put salt on them when they hurt the worst. It is not pleasant, but after a bit, the pain subsides, and then it is gone. Kills (or at least minimizes) the pain in the canker sore for a couple hours. I think it helps it heal as well.

Dawn

 

[Tigerchild]

I used to suffer from these regularly.

The only way I found to 'nip them in the bud' was to lightly rub off the 'scab' (the white part) and then clean the sore out with Glyoxide. It was pretty painful, and again, I had to use it right when the sore started developing, and it seemed to prevent them from turning into massive craters. If they'd already become large before I ate/drank something that irritated them, I'd have to wait it out, but holding a wet tea (like black tea, not herbal) bag in my mouth as a poltice seemed to slow them from getting worse and seemed to help dull the pain.

I started keeping a record of when I started developing them, and noticed a hormonal pattern. Since I started boosting B-complex and Zinc vites the week before I typically developed them, I've not had a problem--even when I bite my mouth accidentally.

If he gets them regularly, it might be worth jotting down a simple food log for a month, just to see if there's a pattern after eating citrusy/spicy/sugary things, or if he's highly stressed, ect.

 

[mamaverdi]

I was just asking my mom this today. Our chiro used to give us some reddish/brownish/blackish liquid. Tasted horrid, but worked fast. You put it directly on the canchre sore; it stung like crazy; and then it healed.

My mom of course didn't know what it was called, but she doesn't think it was Iodine.

 

[Chicharronita]

Your poor dh! I can totally relate.

This is definitely diet-related. I used to get these all the time, especially when I ate tons of grains and sugar.

Temporarily, taking vitamin C, l-lysine, and sucking on zinc lozenges helped a lot. But only a drastic diet change will eliminate them permanently.

Here's a link that goes into more detail:

http://www.holisticonline.com/Remedi...utritional.htm

 

[Dillpicklechip]

I used to get awful canker sores all the time too--they're SO painful and people who don't get them don't understand how much they actually affect your life. With bad canker sores you can't properly eat, drink, talk, or even smile!

I think the reason I don't get them much anymore is because I don't eat nearly as much sugar as I used to. Sugar is definitely to be avoided if you want to avoid canker sores. Usually every time I got a bad one it's because I had eaten a whole large size chocolate bar at one sitting.

I don't know this for sure, but I figure it's because sugar lowers your immunity, and the canker sores are caused by a type of virus, right? Your immunity is also lower during certain parts of your cycle, which is why if I ever do still get a canker sore it's usually at the start of my period.

I also don't chew gum anymore, which I think used to irritate the inside of my mouth.

Using a harsh toothpaste (like a whitening toothpaste) will often cause sores for me too.

So as long as I use a gentle toothpaste, and avoid chewing gum and sugar, I'm fine! Hope that helps.

 

[jmo]

L-lysine works well to both prevent and treat them. We use a tincture called Super Lysine + by Quantum.

 

[OakBerry]

I get tons of cankers, and for me they are related to acid reflux. When my reflux flares up, I get cankers. I also get them from toothpaste, especially tartar control and whitnening toothpastes. My dentist said they are a common culprit for cankers, the SLS mostly. I use Tom's most of the time.
For some people they can be caused by hormone fluctuations or autoimmune diseases like Bechet's syndrome, or B vitamin deficiency.

For pain relief, I do baking soda rinses, and if it's on the lip I will make a paste of baking soda and apply it. Sometimes I'll also swish with a liquid antacid. I also cannot eat citrus, take vitamin C, tomatoes, spicy food or drink coffee when I have a canker or it will feel worse and last longer.
If I have a really huge sore I use tincure of benzoin to form a protective coating on the sore.

I've heard about using alum and salt but I'm not brave enough to withstand the pain!