The question of how to get rid of a canker sore is more complicated than you might think. Some types of canker sores, known as “complex,” can bring sores larger than 10 millimeters in diameter, and which frequently leave scars when they finally heal. Another strain of cankers, called “herpetiform,” occurs often in women and is characterized by groups of sores on tongue, cheek, and the roof of the mouth. As you might imagine, these can be extremely painful, although the good thing (if there is one) is that they generally heal within a month or so.

But the fact remains that most people looking for how to get rid of a canker sore do not fall into either of these categories. And since few of us know what ailments will strike us ahead of time, chances are if you’re reading this article you already have these on your tongue-and-cheek (bad pun intended). Well, most treatment for cankers is palliative rather than curative, meaning that it just focuses on reducing pain rather than finding a cure. If cankers were a fatal disease that would be bad news for you, but as it is you’ll probably heal in no more than two weeks.

So, you want to know which of the myriad of canker treatment choices at the drugstore to use? Here’s the skinny. The best option for you is probably one of the over-the-counter ointments that you put directly on the canker sore with a cotton swab or squirt right out of the tube. Just look on the list of active ingredients for benzocaine-a local anesthetic that should be in there at a concentration of about 20%. A list of the commercially available medicines that have benzocaine in them would be overkill here, but a few of the most popular are Orabase, Orajel, and Anbesol.

Once you’ve figured out how to get rid of canker sores, you’ll want to know how to keep them from coming back. Turns out that listening to your dentist might be a good idea in this department, as regular brushing and flossing keeps your mouth free of debris that can trigger a canker sore. And another thing about toothpaste: if you’re breaking out in cankers more than three or four times a year, you might check to see if your toothpaste contains the compound sodium lauryl sulfate. It’s a known skin irritant that is used in floor cleaners in higher concentration, and there is some evidence that links it to repeated canker sores. Check with your doctor to see if there are other risk factors you might be able to eliminate from your life.

Julie-Ann Amos is a professional writer. She regularly writes on the topics of oral hygiene and things like how to get rid of a canker sore. She recommends regular toothbrushing and flossing as a first line of defense against canker sores on tongue.

Author: Julie-Ann Amos
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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