To all the people out there including my hygienist who claim that canker sores are caused by a virus….. I don’t believe you! There are many conflicting reports on the Internet debating on what causes canker sores. Well, I know what causes them for me. . Tomato sauce and other acidic foods when eaten in high quantities. If I brush my teeth too hard or slip and scratch my gums when I bite into something, that causes one as well.
Once you know your canker sore triggers, you can start working on ways to prevent them. If prevention fails and you get that very painful ulcer, you may want to try swishing tea tree oil around in your mouth. I have found this actually does help speed up the healing process. There is also a special mouth sore mouthwash by Colgate called Peroxyl – Mouth Sore Rinse. It’s active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, but it tastes better than swishing straight up hydrogen peroxide – yuck!
Things that cover the sore like Colgate’s Orabase (it’s a gritty paste) are useful for overnight healing. It only really helps when you are sleeping. Otherwise, your saliva quickly washes away the product. I’ve also tried Canker-X by G-U-M which is a gel, but I find it doesn’t last as long as Orabase. When using these types of products, be sure to dry the area first with a clean cloth soi the product can adhere better.
Overall, time is what will heal this suckers but it sure would be nice to avoid them in the first place!
Aimee Knows 