# Anything I can do to help a canker sore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832 "2006-07-24T16:00:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/41 "2006-07-26T03:40:16Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom] I have the worst canker sore I’ve ever had on the inside of my mouth. It’s been really bad for 3 days, and I’m having a hard time eating and talking. Besides avoiding sugar, is there anything I can do to help it along? Will a Chloraseptic or Cepacol lozenge hurt it? [/QUOTE] This was advice given me by a pharamacist years ago, who said his son had chronic canker sores (although he played hockey, which might inicate other sources of the wounds): Buy L-Lysin, an over-the-counter dietary supplement, in the chewable form and let it dissolve on the sore. It seemed to work for me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/42 "2006-07-26T04:45:23Z")
[QUOTE=GiantRat] This was advice given me by a pharamacist years ago, who said his son had chronic canker sores (although he played hockey, which might inicate other sources of the wounds): Buy L-Lysin, an over-the-counter dietary supplement, in the chewable form and let it dissolve on the sore. It seemed to work for me. [/QUOTE] It’s an Amino acid, and it helps with Herpes. I suppose it \*could \*help with canker sores, but I don’t know why. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/43 "2006-07-26T04:46:54Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] It’s an Amino acid, and it helps with Herpes. I suppose it \*could \*help with canker sores, but I don’t know why. 😕 [/QUOTE] Oh, and it’s L-Lysin **e**. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/44 "2006-07-26T04:54:50Z")
I use maximum strength anbesol, works great ! ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/45 "2006-07-26T05:39:44Z")
Does anyone know anything about what causes canker sores (other than the obvious trauma ones)? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/46 "2006-07-26T12:17:05Z")
[QUOTE=Lama Pacos] Does anyone know anything about what causes canker sores (other than the obvious trauma ones)? [/QUOTE] _Stress_, attacks on the immune system, and getting the inside of your mouth TOO clean. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/47 "2006-07-26T16:43:21Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingCowOfDoom] I do this as well. I get really nasty sores every few weeks or so, and the only way I get relief is to use Listerine. Make sure it’s the old fashioned Cool Mint flavor, and rinse for AT LEAST 30 seconds. Like **bouv** said, it hurts like Hell, but SUCK IT UP because it will feel better after. I ususally get a small hip-flask sized bottle and carry it around in my back pocket when I have a bad sore. –FCOD [/QUOTE] I bet that goes over well at work. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/48 "2006-07-26T16:44:37Z")
Take off and nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure. Oh, come on! \*Someone \*had to say it! ---
**Author:** ![coconut7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e7dd6/32.png) [@coconut7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coconut7)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/49 "2015-05-19T10:09:30Z")
Hey, this is an old thread but I noticed some possible misinformation about cold sores vs. canker sores. Please double check this (and any other info) with a reliable source, but some say that both cold sores and canker sores can occur inside the mouth. Recurrent cold sores inside the mouth would tend to be located on the hard palate or gums, while canker sores would tend to be on movable tissue. But it’s possible a cold sore could also occur on the inside of the lip, but actually prefers the hard palate. There are differences on the presentation of canker sores vs cold sores though. Oral herpes tends to be type 1 (the typical lip version) but type 2 can occasionally infect the oral region as well. And vice-versa. However, in terms of recurrances, herpes 1 and 2 tend not to, as in tend to not be symptomatic, when they are out of their familiar regions. Both kinds of herpes may be transmitable to a other person at times, though less likely, even when not symptomatic. People could take Valtrex or the like to reduce any trnasmissability and repress or shorten outbreaks. Herpes 1 is more common Up to the majority of people have been exposed to it, even if asymptomatic, especially with older people. More info about all this is of course available in reliable sources. Please do your own research to verify and doublecheck facts through reliable sources. Wishing you all the best. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/50 "2015-05-19T15:21:37Z")
Zombies have all kinds of sores that they never treat. However, canker sores and cold sores are not the same. The best thing I ever found for canker sores was [Gly-oxide](http://www.amazon.com/Gly-Oxide-Liquid-Antiseptic-Cleanser-Fluid/dp/B00ANL55Y2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432048630&sr=8-1&keywords=glyoxide), an antiseptic oral cleanser. ---
**Author:** ![Minni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Minni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minni)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832/51 "2015-05-20T04:25:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > From my cite above: "Avoid abrasive foods like potato chips and pretzels; _acidic drinks such as lemonade or orange juice_; chocolate, nuts, lemons, figs, _tomatoes_, apples, pineapples, strawberries, shellfish, soy vinegar and beer that trigger canker sores in susceptible people . " > > Just the opposite, then. _Don’t_ do this. DrDeth, based on my own experience you are so much on target. This may interest you too. It works for me. > **[lysine4flu](https://lysine4flu.wordpress.com/)** > > Help flu, headache, stomachache, sinus, sores & more I have an alternate HTML version which includes a chart, but couldn’t find another host to upload it to. P.S. I also use Canker-X (GUM brand) bought at Walgreens which I assume is similar to the Colgate product mentioned previously. It’s fairly soothing. I also love lavender-flavored yogurt, it feels soothing. Anything with black cherry, or rose-flavor or ginseng is also healing. Smearing on the combo of flax-oil & licorice extract is also soothing. I find Gabapentin also soothes & supports my immune system, even if that’s not the official line. **And something not mentioned above, and constantly met with skepticism. But I’ll say it anyway, since "aint no skeptics in mine fields: Computer EMFs & U.V. trigger inflammations (aches) in susceptible body tissues.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-i-can-do-to-help-a-canker-sore/365832.md?page=2)