Just a thread to rant about my stupid canker sores. I feel the way I did when I was a kid. I used to get dozens of them all at once. I have only 5 right now, but I can't say I've been free of them since I got braced. These aren't even from irritation from the actual brackets, bands or wires.....there's a few under my tounge and one very painful on right on the tip. Then I have a monster on my gumline and it looks like I've lost a considerable amount of gum tissue there, because it's a huge one. I think I'm getting them from brushing too much (especially the one on my gumline)....I brush about 3 or 4 times a day. And I also use a floride rinse (which may be causing some irritation too). The inside of my mouth is very easily irritated, and if it get's pissed off enough my immune system comes and attacks the tissue and I get theses lovely little ulcers all over my mouth. It's like I'm allergic to myself or something.....
I really hope this evenutally goes away..........
More canker sores.....
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TheSarahMonster
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:54 am
- Location: Dirty Jersey
Sarah, some people with sensitive mouths are irritated by the sodium laureth sulphate which is used as a foaming agent in most toothpastes.
There's a link here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_laureth_sulfate
There are some toothpastes which do not contain this, although you'd probably have to mail order them as I doubt you'd easily find them in the shops. If your mouthwash contains alcohol then this too might be irritating your mouth, and you might do better to swap to an alcohol-free one if you haven't already done so.
In the meantime, warm salt water rinses and perhaps an OTC numbing gel will make you more comfortable. Mouth ulcers are miserable things and if you are prone to them, I guess you're going to have o be selective about the dental care products you are using.
There's a link here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_laureth_sulfate
There are some toothpastes which do not contain this, although you'd probably have to mail order them as I doubt you'd easily find them in the shops. If your mouthwash contains alcohol then this too might be irritating your mouth, and you might do better to swap to an alcohol-free one if you haven't already done so.
In the meantime, warm salt water rinses and perhaps an OTC numbing gel will make you more comfortable. Mouth ulcers are miserable things and if you are prone to them, I guess you're going to have o be selective about the dental care products you are using.
Here's a link showing the toothpastes available that do not contain SLS
http://www.dentist.net/sls-free-toothpaste.asp
http://www.dentist.net/sls-free-toothpaste.asp
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TheSarahMonster
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:54 am
- Location: Dirty Jersey
Karen: I am doing warm salt water rinses....I usually do them when I get an outbreak, it doesn't seem to help much, although even though it burns like hell at first it feels soothing. I'm also using Peroxyl, which seems to help them heal faster, but doesn't stop new ones from forming.
Lisa: I'm aware of the SLS / canker sore link. As a kid the inside of my mouth would be covered in them. I could have as many as 30 of them at once. I'd usually get 10 or so a week during a flair and about 5 a week otherwize. My pediatric dentist blamed it on poor oral hygine and had me use Listerine and brush more....which only made the situation worse. Doctors were stumped. They thought it could of been part of this mystery illness I had (undiagnosed Lyme's disease), but once the Lyme's was cleared up the canker sores actually got worse. I had a really bad reaction to an antibiotic that caused the inside of my mouth to blister and peel. I had had that reaction before too to another antiboitic, as a very young child....
I found that if I didn't brush at all or brushed without toothpaste....I wouldn't get new ones. During a massive outbreak when I was about 12 or 13, I was searching for a really strong numbing agent and stumbled upon a little kit from Rembrandt for canker sores. In it was an analgesic mouthwash, some numbing cream and a sample toothpaste. Also included was a panphlet about canker sores. Since then I've been using that toothpaste which is SLS free. I went from having hundreds of them in a year to having only one or two every couple months. I also eliminated certain foods from my diet, like anything that contains capsaisin (in hot peppers), and anything really salty or acidic. That seemed to help too.
Right now I alternate between Biotene and the Rembrandt toothpaste, neither of which contain SLS.
Platinum: I don't think I have a nickle allergy, I've never had a problem with it before, but I'm not sure.
I kinda expected something like this to happen. my mouth is soooo sensitive. I'm sure it doesn't like all that stuff in there. Hopefully it'll clear up eventually. I forgot what it was like to have so many. it may be something I'll just have to deal with for the next two years....I've had them worse before without braces.
Lisa: I'm aware of the SLS / canker sore link. As a kid the inside of my mouth would be covered in them. I could have as many as 30 of them at once. I'd usually get 10 or so a week during a flair and about 5 a week otherwize. My pediatric dentist blamed it on poor oral hygine and had me use Listerine and brush more....which only made the situation worse. Doctors were stumped. They thought it could of been part of this mystery illness I had (undiagnosed Lyme's disease), but once the Lyme's was cleared up the canker sores actually got worse. I had a really bad reaction to an antibiotic that caused the inside of my mouth to blister and peel. I had had that reaction before too to another antiboitic, as a very young child....
I found that if I didn't brush at all or brushed without toothpaste....I wouldn't get new ones. During a massive outbreak when I was about 12 or 13, I was searching for a really strong numbing agent and stumbled upon a little kit from Rembrandt for canker sores. In it was an analgesic mouthwash, some numbing cream and a sample toothpaste. Also included was a panphlet about canker sores. Since then I've been using that toothpaste which is SLS free. I went from having hundreds of them in a year to having only one or two every couple months. I also eliminated certain foods from my diet, like anything that contains capsaisin (in hot peppers), and anything really salty or acidic. That seemed to help too.
Right now I alternate between Biotene and the Rembrandt toothpaste, neither of which contain SLS.
Platinum: I don't think I have a nickle allergy, I've never had a problem with it before, but I'm not sure.
I kinda expected something like this to happen. my mouth is soooo sensitive. I'm sure it doesn't like all that stuff in there. Hopefully it'll clear up eventually. I forgot what it was like to have so many. it may be something I'll just have to deal with for the next two years....I've had them worse before without braces.
Take L-Lysine, an amino acid--great to prevent canker sores
I used to get canker sores in my mouth as a kid, but don't now, ever since I learned to take the amino acid L-Lysine at the first sign of one.
I take some just for for prevention even if I have bitten or been injured inside my mouth, since that sort of thing used to become a canker sore in the past---whatever causes them takes advantage of the injured area. I've had no canker sores with my braces to date, nor any for years.
It is thought that lysine helps inhibit the reproduction of whatever organism is causing the sore (some think it's viral), and if you are deficient in it, you become more vulnerable to canker sores.
An amino acid like lysine is just one of the building blocks of proteins. You can buy it at Walmart or health food stores as L-Lysine, 500mg. It's not expensive. I keep a bottle on hand, and if I think I need it, take three tablets spread over the day, on empty stomach with water or juice, just for a day or two. Any potential sores just disappear within a day or two. (Don't take for longer than six months at a time if you take it regularly to correct a deficiency.) If you get them often, also eat more high lysine foods like eggs, fish, lima beans, potatoes, red meat, & soy products (and maybe only moderate amounts of cheese/milk.)
You should also temporarily AVOID foods high in another amino acid called arginine, as it may promote viruses that could be causing the sores. High arginine foods include chocolate, grains like wheat/oats, peanuts, walnuts, gelatin, and meats. If you eat excessive amounts of those foods and don't balance them with high lysine foods, you may be creating an imbalance (acid/alkaline) in your system, making you more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria that may cause sores. Since dairy cheese/milk is high in both lysine AND arginine, it might be best avoided at any sore outbreak. Also avoid acidic things temporarily--citrus, tomatoes, vinegars, etc.-- as they further irritate tissues you want to heal.
People who get canker sores often have been known to have deficiencies of lysine, B12, folic acid, and iron, so be sure you are getting adequate amounts of those nutrients.
I told this info to a friend whose children used to constantly get canker sores, and she said they have not had one ever since she started following the advice. Hope it works for you--those things HURT!
I take some just for for prevention even if I have bitten or been injured inside my mouth, since that sort of thing used to become a canker sore in the past---whatever causes them takes advantage of the injured area. I've had no canker sores with my braces to date, nor any for years.
It is thought that lysine helps inhibit the reproduction of whatever organism is causing the sore (some think it's viral), and if you are deficient in it, you become more vulnerable to canker sores.
An amino acid like lysine is just one of the building blocks of proteins. You can buy it at Walmart or health food stores as L-Lysine, 500mg. It's not expensive. I keep a bottle on hand, and if I think I need it, take three tablets spread over the day, on empty stomach with water or juice, just for a day or two. Any potential sores just disappear within a day or two. (Don't take for longer than six months at a time if you take it regularly to correct a deficiency.) If you get them often, also eat more high lysine foods like eggs, fish, lima beans, potatoes, red meat, & soy products (and maybe only moderate amounts of cheese/milk.)
You should also temporarily AVOID foods high in another amino acid called arginine, as it may promote viruses that could be causing the sores. High arginine foods include chocolate, grains like wheat/oats, peanuts, walnuts, gelatin, and meats. If you eat excessive amounts of those foods and don't balance them with high lysine foods, you may be creating an imbalance (acid/alkaline) in your system, making you more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria that may cause sores. Since dairy cheese/milk is high in both lysine AND arginine, it might be best avoided at any sore outbreak. Also avoid acidic things temporarily--citrus, tomatoes, vinegars, etc.-- as they further irritate tissues you want to heal.
People who get canker sores often have been known to have deficiencies of lysine, B12, folic acid, and iron, so be sure you are getting adequate amounts of those nutrients.
I told this info to a friend whose children used to constantly get canker sores, and she said they have not had one ever since she started following the advice. Hope it works for you--those things HURT!
Take L-Lysine, an amino acid--great to prevent canker sores
accidental double post...