I feel like i’ve been rubbing my tongue into a lava flow. I have good mouth hygiene (I clean my teeth at least once a month) and I eat sensibly. However, I still manage to get mouth ulcers. When the come, they come in swarms. They are big and painful. I’ve had them at least once a month since I was about 9 years old. Salt and water doesn’t work. Dentist hasn’t got the foggiest. Tried bonjella and apart from tasting like something out of a bicycle repair kit, it does nothing.
I’m 25 years of age so I’m hardly run down and old and my life is stress free. But when I have ulcers it affects my attitude towards other people because I get frustrated and easily wound up. I also don’t want to speak.
So as a last ditch attempt, does anyone know any kick-arse, ulcer obliterating strategies that actually work instead of waste time?
Not really - I get them too, but not so badly. I always notice I get them when I’ve been dehydrated - alcohol, not enough water, too many fried, or dry, foods so I try and compensate by drinking lots of water, eating fruit and trying to eat so-called ‘cooling’ foods (I believe Chinese medicine dictates ulcers are caused by too much ‘heat’ but I only have that anecdotally). I wouldn’t say it has any big effect as such, but it’s soothing and makes me feel like I’m doing something constructive - besides, when you have ulcers that’s the kind of thing you want to eat/drink anyway
I’ve also heard it may be associated with zinc or Vitamin B deficiency, although I get them rarely enough that I haven’t tried active prevention.
Actually, last time I had them on the side of my tongue. I couldn’t talk or enjoy a good meal. We went to the drug store (I think it was Cosmed) and the lady behind the counter asked me a few questions and then gave me some prescription medication. It was some sort of “oral paste”.
Within a day the pain was gone and the day after that there was no trace of the ulcer. For short term pain relief, you can also use ambesol or some other sort of “teething” medication. That will get you through dinner, anyway.
I used to get them a lot back home. What worked for me was getting more sleep and changing the toothpaste I used. There’s a lot of info on the web if you do a search on canker sores.
True.
Regular toothpastes contain Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, which has no purpose except to create the foaming effect and to create mouth sores. Lauryl sulphates is basically a very harsh detergent, and is one of the most common ingredients used in shampoos, not to mention as an industrial degreasant and garage floor cleaner. More info here: health-report.co.uk/sodium_l … phate.html
Lots of foods are also blamed for causing canker sores, including tomatoes, nuts, and stuff containing citric acid. Tomatoes and nuts don’t bother me at all, and I can drink all the OJ I want. If I drink grape juice the same day I have a glass of orange juice, however, I get canker sores. Also, things like fruit punch and Starbursts give me canker sores as well. So watch what you eat. If you suddenly get an outbreak of canker sores, ask yourself what different foods you have been eating lately.
A long time ago, a dental hygenist told me that L-Lysine supplements help canker sores. I took her advice and tried them, but they failed. Perhaps you need to take the supplements daily before an outbreak for them to work. I didn’t want to take them daily so I don’t really know.
My first Chinese teacher in Taiwan told me about some powder that helps canker sores. She gave me a little bottle of the powder from the mainland, but you can find a similar item in pharmacies in Taiwan. It’s called “kuiyansan.” However, the Taiwanese version doesn’t seem to be as effective as the mainland version, but it still works for me. Just spray the powder on the sore and the sore goes away. I think doctors in Taiwan also prescribe it for sore throats. It might be something similar to what mjared said he got at Cosmed.
[quote=“bionic ninja”]Lots of foods are also blamed for causing cancer sores, including tomatoes, nuts, and stuff containing citric acid. Tomatoes and nuts don’t bother me at all, and I can drink all the OJ I want. If I drink grape juice the same day I have a glass of orange juice, however, I get cancer sores. Also, things like fruit punch and Starbursts give me cancer sores as well. So watch what you eat. If you suddenly get an outbreak of cancer sores, ask yourself what different foods you have been eating lately.
A long time ago, a dental hygenist told me that L-Lysine supplements help cancer sores. I took her advice and tried them, but they failed. Perhaps you need to take the supplements daily before an outbreak for them to work. I didn’t want to take them daily so I don’t really know.
My first Chinese teacher in Taiwan told me about some powder that helps cancer sores. She gave me a little bottle of the powder from the mainland, but you can find a similar item in pharmacies in Taiwan. It’s called “kuiyansan.” However, the Taiwanese version doesn’t seem to be as effective as the mainland version, but it still works for me. Just spray the powder on the sore and the sore goes away. I think doctors in Taiwan also prescribe it for sore throats. It might be something similar to what mjared said he got at Cosmed.[/quote]
Canker sores, not cancer sores. If you’ve got cancer sores, it’s time to write a will.
True.
Regular toothpastes contain Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, which has no purpose except to create the foaming effect and to create mouth sores. Lauryl sulphates is basically a very harsh detergent, and is one of the most common ingredients used in shampoos, not to mention as an industrial degreasant and garage floor cleaner. More info here: health-report.co.uk/sodium_l … phate.html[/quote]
You might also be allergic to sulfur…I am. It normally isn’t much of a problem but too much expose causes a rash or maybe in your case these ulcers. Most body soaps and shampoos also contain Sodium Lauryl Sulphate. I believe tooth powders don’t contain it…most bar soaps don’t either (if you are allergic).
Dangermouse - I wonder if you grind your teeth at night? You might not even know you do it. If you bite your tongue even slightly that can result in a mouth ulcer.
[quote=“robert_storey”]
Canker sores, not cancer sores. If you’ve got cancer sores, it’s time to write a will.
regards,
Robert[/quote]
Wow, you’re the first poster to criticize my English. I feel like I’ve just gone through a Forumosan rite of passage. Dude, thanks for officiating at the ceremony. Could you keep an eye out for my posts in the future? You’re better than a spell checker. You’re like a walking dictionary. Man, I bet you won a few spelling bees when you were in elementary school. I hope you kept the ribbons because I would love to see them sometime. Keep up the good work, champ!
Sandman–
I don’t know if the powder I’m referring to is “watermelon frost.” “Kuiyansan” does not mean “watermelon frost.” I’d check the ingredients for you, but unfortunately the sticker on the back of the bottle has long since come off. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Deficiencies of vitamin B12, folate, zinc and iron can cause mouth ulcers (aphthous ulcers), so do be sure you’re getting enough of these. If it’s what I think it is (bitter-tasting green powder that comes in small brown vials), the watermelon stuff Sandman mentioned works well. The toothpaste suggestion was also good. Food allergies might play a role as well.
But recurrent mouth ulcers can be caused by different things, so try to get yourself to see an internist, especially if you have any other weird symptoms.
I have suffered with canker sores off and on for 50 years, that I can remember. When I was about 20, my Stateside doctor said that the latest therapy was revaccination. We tried it; didn’t work. I have also tried L-Lysine; didn’t work either.
It took me decades to find this out, but what works, for me, is Philips Milk of Magnesia, or similar. I prefer the tablets, though they are getting harder to find. I have bought generic magnesium hydroxide tablets locally, too, but they are rather coarser and more chalky than Phillips. So I stock up when I’m back in the States.
I’ve been told, locally, (FWIW) that the cause is: huo chi tai da. It is now my opinion that canker sores (mine, at least) are directly related to systemic over acidity. (Is this the same as huo chi da?)
Anyway, when I find one coming on, I take about 4 or 5 tabs the first morning, and 3 tabs on succeeding mornings till the sore is gone. Takes maybe three days. Pretty painless, and it works. Too bad I didn’t figure it out a few decades sooner.
I tried the watermelon frost but to no effect. Now I have something called Nincort Oral Gell. It dosn’t heal the ulcers but it does cover it fairly well so that they don’t hurt so much. As for cures? Well I think it is a bit tricky to tell. I reackon most of the ‘cures’ people find don’t do any ‘curing’ at all. The ulcers just get better by themselves. Maybe I am just getting cynical due to the ‘placebo medicine’ that seems to be the mainstay of Taiwanese medical practice.
The stuff I was given is called “Dexaltin Oral Paste” also written in Katakana on the package is DEKISARUTEN.
The two ingredients are:
Dexamelthasone J.P. 1.0 mg
Sodium Polyacrylate 300 mg
The amazing thing is that the pain went away overnight after taking the stuff. It’s so quick to heal that it scares the hell out of me and I won’t use it unless I’m in a lot of pain. My wife thinks I’m nuts and will use it any time. I guess I just worry about something that works THAT good.
If I remember correctly, I got it from a woman behind the counter at Cosmed…
