Kanker Sores

[Mr. Pills]

How exactly do you get kanker sore's? I get them like two or three times a year, but maintain the same diet anyway. I dont smoke or chew or do any drug? So Im guessing its something natural, anyone know? Also, why does warm salt water help heal them?

[Mr. Pills]

Also, its on my gumline beneath my teeth, so Im not biting it

[Mr. Pills]

Also, its on my gumline beneath my teeth, so Im not biting it

[Joe Random]

Originally posted by Mr. Pills
How exactly do you get kanker sore's?

First, two nitpicks. It's spelled "canker", not "kanker". Also, there is no apostrophe in the word "sores" unless you're making it possessive.

To answer your question: No one really knows. It seems that stress can cause a canker sore. Also, accidentally biting the inside of your mouth can trigger one. It's also believed that citrus fruits and nuts can contribute to the formation of canker sores. One possible chemical cause is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which is commonly found in toothpaste.

If you had complex canker sores, which occur more frequently and with greater severity, there are some vitamin deficiencies (B-12, zinc, folic acid or iron) that could be the cause.

[Joe Random]

I should add that most people have, on average, three to four canker sores per year, so you're pretty normal.

[larsenmtl]

3 things:

1.) Slipping with the toothbrush. That's how I always get them, at least.

2.) I believe the salt dries them out, helping them heal faster, but that's just a guess.

3.) When you get them try Orajel® Ultra Canker Sore Medicine (http://www.oralgel.com/adult/adult_mouth.htm). That stuff is a awesome.

[hajario]

They are caused by a virus.

Chronic sufferers will get way less sores if they switch to a toothpaste that does not contain sodium laurel sulfate (sls). SLS is a foaming agent (detergent) found in most tooth pastes and shampoos. Rembrandt makes the best sls-free toothpaste in my opinion.

Haj

[vivalostwages]

They can pop up for no discernible reason and are not well understood. Also, they cannot be eliminated.

That being said....I use Zilactin (it comes in various types). Or you can open a can of sauerkraut, press a spoon down it to catch the juice, and slosh it around for some time before spitting it out.
I'm told it works wonders.

[vivalostwages]

down on it.

[aeropl]

I believe the most common cause of canker sores is a virus (a simplex of herpes), but not necessarily the only cause.

MedLINE Article
WebMD Article

[ShibbOleth]

hajario and aeropl, both of you say that canker sores are caused by virus, but give no supporting cite. In fact neither of the sites by aeropl indicate a viral causative, and the second article, at WebMD, says:

No one knows what causes most canker sores, or why women are more likely to get them. Their appearance, however, often seems related to stress. Some doctors think that canker sores may result from deficiencies in iron, folic acid, vitamin B-12, or a combination. Canker sores may also be caused by an immune system defect, such as a food allergy. Canker sores are not thought to be contagious. They don't pose any health risk other than the discomfort that comes along with them.

My son gets them occassionally and it seems to be related to when he eats to much (sugary) cereal. I refer to this as "Cap'n Crunch mouth".

[Annie-Xmas]

I get them a lot, particularly in the four spots where I had eight (!) impacted wisdom teeth taken out. The easiest way to kill them is to put a moist asprin on them. However, be prepared to give new definition to your understanding of the word "PAIN."

[5-HT]

Shibb, I think they may be confusing canker sores with cold sores, which, of course, are caused by a virus.

[ShibbOleth]

Yes, but that's just the sort of thing that could kind of freak out people who are prone to canker sores.

[Sat on Cookie]

I get them once in a while. I usually:

1. Put salt on my finger tip
2. Press it on the canker
3. Scream in pain, and
D. Forget about it since the salt helps so much

[badmana]

My doc told me to mouth wash with hydrogen peroxide mixed with water. Works pretty well and helps heal the sores within 2 days. Without the peroxide average heal time is 4-6 days.

I too was told by my dentist that these sores are caused by a virus and sometimes tied into stress (if that was really true, I would have an outbreak after every dental appointment).

[Algorithm]

Canker sores and cold sores are often confused. Canker sores are not a form of herpes, are not contagious, and are not caused by a virus.

Cold sores, on the other hand, are caused by a virus, are highly contagious, and transmittable to the genital area. They often appear on the lips, outside of the mouth. Be careful.

[Cervaise]

Although hajario is incorrect about the viral cause, he is completely correct about switching to a toothpaste without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. I used to suffer from these nasty little outbreaks on a regular basis, i.e. at least two or three at a time, once a month at minimum (the worst was when I got a big one on my uvula). However, I switched to a new SLS-free toothpaste a little over a year ago, and I'm extremely pleased to report that I haven't gotten a single canker sore in at least eight months. The toothpaste tastes kind of funky at first, but I've more than gotten used to it.

[DrDeth]

1. If you get a lot of sores- DO switch to an nonSLS toothpaste. I prefer Biotene myself. Or, brush your teeth with baking soda & table salt- almost as good.

2. Acidolpholus helps heal the sores (works on cold sores, too). Take pills, or eat live culture yogurt.

3. Right- don't mix "cold or herpes sores" with "canker or Kanker" sores. Cold sores are usu external, caused by a herpes virus, are contagious, etc. Canker sores are usu internal, not herpes related and are not contagious. I can't say 100% that no virus is involved, however- not too much is known about their cause.

4. Vitamin C will also help cure them. Oddly, drinking highly acid juices- such as Orange juice- can also bring them on in some dudes.


We answer this question about every second month or so.

[KidCharlemagne]

IANAD-

The medical term is aphthous ulcer. While canker sores are different than cold sores, one of the many suspects of "canker sores" in some cases is a herpes-like virus. It's most likely an autoimmunte response that can precipitated by any number of factors. When I get them, I usually get a cluster of a couple small ones right next to each other which is indicative of a herpetiform ulcer. Lysine seems to work wonders on those and given its known antiviral activity it would make sense. In any case, if you want to cover all your bases:

- Avoid acidic drinks for the duration (Coffee, OJ, etc)
- Gargle with Hydrogen Peroxide and Water 1:1 multiple times per day
- Take 500mg Lysine 3x day
- Chill out
- Don't go baking in the sun too long.

I don't like using any anesthetizing agents in the case of canker sores because they should really only hurt when you touch them and you shouldn't be touching them. If you numb the thing so you can eat then you'll just end up irritating it more and prolonging the pain - use pain to your advantage. I also don't like Zilactin and other film-forming agents because as they degrade over time they tend to tear at the tissue.

Here is some info:

http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2672.htm