Conquering Canker Sores

Most of us know the feeling: you wake with an odd tingling in your mouth, and within a day or two a tender, sometimes burning canker sore has appeared. They’re a common nuisance, and while they usually heal on their own over a couple of weeks, there are things you can do to ease them and reduce how often they turn up. First, a quick look at what they are.

What are canker sores?

Canker sores are small white or yellow lesions that can appear anywhere in the mouth, usually round or oval in shape. For frequent sufferers they can be a real, if temporary, pain. Minor ones typically clear within a week or two, while larger ones can be quite painful and occasionally take several weeks to heal fully.

What triggers them?

Knowing your triggers can help you reduce how often you get them. Stress is a common one, implicated in all sorts of health niggles, including these, so keeping stress in check can help keep your mouth clearer.

Certain foods can prompt them too, particularly acidic and spicy ones like citrus and chillies, and for some people, gluten appears to play a role. Keeping a simple food diary can reveal whether your sores tend to follow particular foods. Vitamin shortfalls, such as low folate, zinc or iron, can also be a factor, which is one more reason a nutrient-rich, balanced diet is worthwhile.

Easing the discomfort

If you do have a canker sore, brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush, since too much pressure can aggravate an existing sore or spark a new one. Over-the-counter canker sore remedies, available as gels, liquids or patches, can be applied to ease the pain temporarily while it heals.

When to check in

If frequent canker sores are bothering you, you don’t have to just put up with them. Get in touch with TMJ Therapy Centre to book an appointment, and we’ll help you get to the bottom of them so you can enjoy a more comfortable, pain-free mouth.