Non-healing canker sore!

Message

#1 Post by **Scottman** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:45 pm

So I have had this canker sore for 2 months now. I asked my ortho and they told me to wear wax and to stop sucking on it. I have done both and I have even tried canker patches but none seem to work. The smallest it has gotten to was barely visible but now it is fully grown! I have taken a picture of it, but it is not very visible. Here it is, with my wax on as you can see! You can also see my inflamed gums!

http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... 261qr2.jpg

Any suggestions on curing this mean feller and these inflamed gums??

#2 Post by **VistaXP** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 5:28 pm

My Ortho gave me a sample of Colgate Peroxel Oral Cleanser the first day and told me to use it if I get a cut in my mouth due to the brackets. I just bought a bottle, it doesn't remove the canker sore but it does remove the pain which is all I really wanted. It took about 4 use for the pain to go away, not bad

.

It does have hydrogen peroxide in it like Meryaten suggested.

http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/O ... roxyl.cvsp

Got mine at Target for around $8.

#3 Post by **Scottman** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 7:26 pm

Meryaten wrote:My tips would be to continue with the wax, pay attention to hydration, and try hydrogen peroxide/water rinses several times per day.

You might also minimise/avoid acidic foods and drinks, and consider changing to a toothpaste that does not contain sodium lauryl sulphate (a common foaming agent)

Beyond that, how's your general health? Eating right? (Maybe consider a vitamin and mineral supplement) Getting enough sleep? How are your stress levels?

I have a good nutrition, but the only flaw is that I don't eat breakfast. I get about 8-10 hours a sleep each night. My stress levels are kind of high though because of relationships and school.

The reason I haven't tried the hydrogen peroxide is because I heard it is bad to rinse with it, as it causes damage to the enamel and mold or some other substance to grow on the tongue. These statements may be wrong as I read it on another message board, so please correct me if I am indeed wrong.

Thanks for the replies!

#4 Post by **muppet** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:51 am

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your ulcer I know how much of a pain they can be.

I have had a huge ulcer on my bottom lip for 2 weeks now. I have been using colgate peroxide mouthwash 2-3 times a day and it has helped to ease the pain. It is slowly (and I mean slowly) starting to shrink and heal.

Have you been wearing the wax at night?

I was told not to wear it at night as it could be a choking hazard which I fully understand but I found my brace was rubbing it over night and I would wake several times a night in pain.

I have swapped to using ortho-sil instead of wax as I find it sticks like glue and does not shift. I have not had it fall off once (YET

) I wear the orth-sil all day and night on the affected area and it has been a huge relief.

When the pain is really bad I have been using anbesol liquid (not to be confused with anusol!!!

) to numb the pain it does not help with healing and stings like **** when you apply it but gives enough to relief to be able to eat. I have also had to use a straw for all drinks as a cup or glass on the area was too painfull. (Guess I looked a right idiot drinking my coffee through a straw at tea-break time!)

As someone has mentioned before the upside of the peroxide mouthwash is that my teeth look nice and clean!!

Hope you can find a way to relieve you pain and get that sore to heal.

#5 Post by **loulou123** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:43 am

I know how you feel as ive suferred quite badly with ulcers all though my treatment and its not nice at all

ive found that that the best answers are: wax, at all times and plenty of it!, making sure you dont let your mouth get too dry, so sip water all the time so you dont get dehydrated, i also switched my mouthwash to one NOT containing alcohol, as this can dry your mouth out.

I actually found the products which numb the area, are of little use, as personally i found that because it was numb, i was actually doing my cheeks more damage as i couldnt feel the pain, and when the product wore off id actually done more damage!

If its really bad and what ever youve done doesnt help, id suggest asking your ortho or dentist, as they be able to prescribe something stronger in case its infected.

Good luck

#6 Post by **jennielee81** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:15 am

Might I suggest you consult with your dentist about what this is??

I've had canker sores/ulcers in my mouth for my entire life; none of them have ever been raised like that one you have.

They have ALL looked like this:

white/gray patch that is pitted into the tissue, not raised above,
have all healed in a week to 10 days.

I am concerned that this is something else. Dentists usually have more contact with oral lesions and therefore may be a better person to help you.

#7 Post by **Scottman** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:01 am

I may give my dentist a call. I have been wearing wax at night due to it not falling off, but this morning it hurts terribly even with the wax on.

I could careless about the pain though, it is just the fact that it is annoying being there!

I am about to go buy a hydrogen peroxide bottle and start using the rinses.

Thanks for all of the help!

#8 Post by **Scottman** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:08 am

Ok, I am going to start posting images of the progress. I won't do one everyday, only when it changes.

This picture is after I put salt on it yesterday, used wax, and just finished rinsing hydrogen peroxide about 10 minutes ago.

Front Picture: http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... 273pw0.jpg

Side Picture (to show exactly how far it extends outwards): http://img176.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... allwa5.jpg

Thanks for reading and helping!

#9 Post by **xostephie** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:27 am

It looks a little less inflamed already!:) I've never seen a canker sore quite that size, but i hope it goes away soon as I know how painful they can be!

Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:31 am

I'm with Jennie.....I've had canker sores all my life and they are usually more like a hole...some have swelling around the hole, but never did they stick out like that. And they usually last 1-2 weeks and go away. I usually get a series of them, but individual ones don't last for months...ever.

I did recently have something the oral surgeon called a 'wart'. It was a little growth of skin on the underneath side of my tongue that started growing because of constantly being irritated by my molar bands. He removed it and had it biopsed. All is fine now.

And about the pain Scott. In my case canker sores are so painful that I would never say

I could careless about the pain though

#11 Post by **Scottman** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:52 am

Way Too Old For This wrote:I'm with Jennie.....I've had canker sores all my life and they are usually more like a hole...some have swelling around the hole, but never did they stick out like that. And they usually last 1-2 weeks and go away. I usually get a series of them, but individual ones don't last for months...ever.

I did recently have something the oral surgeon called a 'wart'. It was a little growth of skin on the underneath side of my tongue that started growing because of constantly being irritated by my molar bands. He removed it and had it biopsed. All is fine now.

And about the pain Scott. In my case canker sores are so painful that I would never say

I could careless about the pain though

I thought you could only get oral warts from STDs??

It does hurt a lot but I am just so used to it, that is why I don't really care about it.

And I asked my orthodontist about the canker sore. I believe he said it is like extra tissue or skin formed over it. The dentist office is closed right now though but I am probably calling them during the week.

Thanks!

Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:04 am

I thought you could only get oral warts from STDs??

Well he called it a wart or a lipoma or just a piece of extra skin. I think if he was worried that I had an STD he would have tested me for that..... And beileve me when I say this...I'm not too worried that it might be an STD either.

I always had a little extra piece of skin there on the underneath side of my tongue, and we feel with the constant irritation after 2 years, it caused it to grow where it was bothering me.... I only mentioned it because I thought if you had anything on your lip that would make the skin rub on your braces too much, it may never go away on its own if it is constantly irritated.

#13 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:31 am

I've never seen a canker sore that stuck out like that either. I would urge you to let your dentist have a look at it in the near future.

A mouth ulcer which will not heal is one of the early signs of mouth cancer. I'm not scaremongering as chances are your sore is just a nasty but "regular" canker sore and perfectly harmless. But there are a number of other things it could be, and only somebody who is experienced in the examination and treatment of oral conditions can diagnose it properly.

#14 Post by **ilovemacs** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:49 pm

I think I'll chime in here! Well I got my bottom braces installed not that long ago (Jan. 23rd, 2008). I had something similar- now not the exact same. It is almost gone now. I had it because my bottom lips kept getting caught in my bottom brace. It stopped happening and the sore has gotten smaller (barely there). It looked similar. It didn't bleed- I say that because it looks like your bleeds. Mine didn't stick out certainly as far and was gone within a week. You've had yours for over 2 months. Please consult a health professional for advice!
Hope this helps.
Good luck!

#15 Post by **Scottman** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:50 pm

Hmm, thanks for all the advice! I have been trying to convince my mother, (I am only 14!) to call the dentist, but she just seems to act like the sore is no problem. She keeps telling me to keep using wax. I might have to end up making an appointment! But so far, the sore is looking much better! I have been using wax 24/7, but today it fell off during lunch so it came kind of irritated. I took another picture, and it is looking much like a blister you get from being burned.

Here it is, and I will outline it because I couldn't get a clear shot.

http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... allxj7.jpg

Thanks!!