What canker sores are and what they aren't:
Canker
sores are those very painful sores inside your mouth--usually
on your cheeks, tongue or floor of the mouth, but occasionally on
your gums. They can be as small as a pinhead or as large as
an inch in diameter.
Canker
sores and cold sores/fever blisters are frequently confused with one
another. The distinguishing factor is that fever blisters appear
outside the mouth and require a different treatment medication than
canker sores.
What causes canker sores?
About one out of every five people get canker sores. They are most
common among women 20 to 50 years old.
Canker sores appear to be brought on by many types of stress--either emotional,
physical or chemical. Emotional stress can be caused by any
situation that puts you under pressure. Physical stress might
be caused by an abrasion in your mouth, burns from hot foods or even
biting your tongue or cheek. Chemical stress means anything
that changes your body chemistry, such as an illness or a change in
your eating habits.
Whatever
the cause, if you get canker sores, you are likely to get them again. Fortunately, they are not contagious and they do go away. They usually last seven to ten days, though sometimes up to three
weeks.
What are the symptoms?
Canker
sores are open sores inside your mouth which expose the under layer
of skin. As with any open sore, it hurts when it is touched. Because it is in your mouth, something is always touching it, like
saliva, so the canker sore hurts most of the time with a burning and
itching sensation.
The sore
itself looks like a little crater, grayish-white in the middle and
rimmed with bright red inflammation. As the sore begins to heal,
or as your treat it with an anesthetic, the pain lessens.
Other Mouth Sores
It is
also common to develop mouth sores when there are injuries to the
mouth from foreign objects. Corrective dental braces and dental
instruments used to tighten braces can cause irritation and abrasions
to tissue inside the mouth. Mouth sore pain can also occur with
unstable or loose dentures which can rub and irritate parts of the
inside of the mouth.
Prevention
While
there are many causes of canker sores and people who have a tendency
to develop these sores cannot avoid them completely, dentist agree
that good oral hygiene and a healthy diet can help minimize the effects
of stress that trigger an outbreak.
Some
mouth sore pain can be avoided through the appropriate care and cleansing
of dentures and braces. Many dental professionals recommend
disinfecting your dentures in a weak solution of sodium hydrochlorite
every night. Proper fitting and occasional adjustment of your
dentures and braces will also help. Always talk to your dentist
when your mouth sores do not heal or when you have a pain that lasts
more than a few days.
Treatment
If you
get a mouth sore, it is important to treat all the symptoms--the pain,
the irritation and the potential infection. The best way to
treat a mouth sore is:
1. Relieve the pain with an anesthetic.
Different amounts of pain relief medications are available in various mouth sore treatments. For most people, it is best to use a product with the maximum available level of a proven effective pain reliever, such as benzocaine.
2. Protect the sore with a long lasting coating.
Most
brands of mouth sore medication quickly wash off after application
and do not protect the sore. However, an ideal medication
adheres to the mucous membrane, forming a flexible coating. This protective film physically blocks contact with food and saliva
to lessen irritation and help speed healing.
3. Apply the medication directly to the painful area.
A built-in
applicator aids in precise placement of the medication and helps
prevent infections by keeping unsanitary fingers out of the mouth.
4. Choose a medication that is recommended by health care professionals.
There is no better advice than your dentist's. Acceptance by the
American Dental Association (ADA) is a sure sign of a product's quality.
Kank-A Mouth Pain Liquid is an excellent canker sore medication that is specially formulated to provide all of the above benefits for the treatment of mouth sores.
