{"id":512,"date":"2019-07-08T16:59:11","date_gmt":"2019-07-08T16:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=512"},"modified":"2025-02-20T14:33:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T14:33:46","slug":"canker-sores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/08\/canker-sores\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing With Canker Sores? A Dentist Discusses Prevention and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-513\" src=\"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canker-sore-on-the-lower-lip-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Canker sore on the lower lip\" width=\"338\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canker-sore-on-the-lower-lip-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canker-sore-on-the-lower-lip-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canker-sore-on-the-lower-lip.jpg 894w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px\" \/><\/a>A canker sore seems like it would be a small problem\u2026until you have one. Then it\u2019s all you can think about! Suddenly, brushing your teeth, having acidic foods or beverages like orange juice, and even enunciating your words becomes a lot more difficult. But what are canker sores in the first place? Are they harmful and should you have them looked at by a dentist? In this blog, you\u2019ll get answers to those questions and find out how to prevent and treat this common (but painful) condition.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>What Are Canker Sores?<\/h2>\n<p>Canker sores are actually tiny, oval-shaped ulcers (called aphthous ulcers) that can occur on your tongue, gums, the inside of your lips, and other soft tissues in your mouth. Usually, canker sores are minor and heal on their own in 1-2 weeks, although they can be larger and more severe and take up to six weeks to heal.<\/p>\n<p>The exact cause of canker sores is unclear, but they can be triggered by any of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle<\/li>\n<li>Food sensitivities or allergies to spicy or acidic foods (e.g. coffee, strawberries, chocolate, eggs, nuts, and dairy)<\/li>\n<li>Sodium lauryl sulfate, a common ingredient in toothpastes and mouth rinses<\/li>\n<li>Stress<\/li>\n<li>Trauma or irritation to your mouth (this can be anything from a cheek bite to overly aggressive brushing to routine dental work)<\/li>\n<li>Vitamin and mineral deficiencies (B-12, iron, zinc, folate or folic acid)<\/li>\n<li>Helicobacter pylori (the bacteria that cause peptic ulcers)<\/li>\n<li>Genetics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How Can You Prevent or Treat Canker Sores?<\/h2>\n<p>First, start by talking to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/dental-services.html\">dentist<\/a>\u00a0 about your canker sores. They\u2019ll be able to help you pinpoint possible triggers so you know what to avoid (spicy foods, sodium lauryl sulfate, etc.) In some cases, canker sores are the result of a more serious illness or immune disorder, so it\u2019s also a good idea to talk to your doctor. After ruling out an illness, they can also determine if you have any vitamin deficiencies. Finally, stress management techniques can also help.<\/p>\n<p>To treat a canker sore and help with pain, try the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To sooth the tissue and promote healing, rinse every few hours with <em>either <\/em>hydrogen peroxide (equal parts peroxide and water) <em>or<\/em>salt and baking soda (a half teaspoon of both in four ounces of water).<\/li>\n<li>Dip a cotton swab in milk of magnesia and gently swab the area after using hydrogen peroxide rinse.<\/li>\n<li>You can also apply a paste made from baking soda and water<\/li>\n<li>There are numbing gels you can buy at the store that contain topical anesthetics such as benzocaine and provide temporary pain relief. Use as directed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Canker sores are no fun. But with prevention efforts and a few at-home remedies, you can minimize any discomfort or avoid them altogether.<\/p>\n<h2>About the Author<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/meet-dr-chris-long.html\">Dr. Chris Long<\/a>has been a family dentist for over 15 years and is committed to helping his patients with every aspect of their oral health. With a thorough understanding of oral pathology, he\u2019s able to diagnose, treat, and help prevent common conditions such as canker sores. If you have any questions, he can be reached via his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/contact.html\">website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A canker sore seems like it would be a small problem\u2026until you have one. Then it\u2019s all you can think about! Suddenly, brushing your teeth, having acidic foods or beverages like orange juice, and even enunciating your words becomes a lot more difficult. But what are canker sores in the first place? Are they harmful [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dealing With Canker Sores? A Dentist Discusses Prevention and Treatment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Canker sores are a common condition that make eating, drinking and even speaking painful. 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