Aftazen is a new product that keeps mouth-ulcers away by providing the nutrients your body maybe lacking. It the result of 3 years of research and testing by Bertrand Girin.

Who is Bertrand Girin?

Bertrand Girin, born in 1970, was an engineer from the Ecole Centrale in France, he suffered since his early years from frequent crises of mouth ulcers , without ever having been successful in treating himself, other than through local drugs which, though they often relieved his pain, diminished neither the regularity, nor soreness of the crises.

No doctor could explain to him what was the cause of his mouth ulcers, and he had the impression that pharmaceutical companies were not interested in mouth ulcers. But this problem was seriously affecting his life.

How did he discover Aftazen?

Once, while he was under observation for another medical issue over several months, he realised with amazement that his mouth ulcers had diminished. He is curious, so he decided to investigate, and broke down the various extracts of the natural treatment which he had ingested. He read more than a 100 scientific papers on mouth ulcers, worked with a doctor and an expert in pharmacology, had tablets manufactured for each of the components and to the pinnacle of discovering a perfect combination, then enriching it, until his mouth ulcers finally entirely disappeared. His life has changed ever since.…

Now he has set up a company, based in France and exporting worldwide, call Previzen that provides sufferers around the world with a proper solution to mouth ulcers – a prevention instead of a cure. The product is called Aftazen.

Does it work?

It is a very new product and people are still trying it to see if it will work for them. Here is a video of someone who tried it:

Saline Solution

The classic mouth ulcer remedy, just add salt to water and rinse your mouth. Put up with a few seconds of intense pain and then a few hours of numbness as relief. Personally I am not a big fan of this as it seems to make my ulcers bigger, but do experiment to see what effect you have. And perhaps a very mild saline solution will help with bacteria even if it has no numbing effect.

Baking Soda Remedy

Simply put  a teaspoon of baking soda in half a glass of water. The carbs in the baking soda will naturally relieve the pain and cleanse it of bacteria. According to a survey only 56% of sufferers have a positive effect from using this. I have never tested this myself.

Myrrh Tincture

Myrrh can be purchased as an essential oil. Essential oils are plant extracts, and the name “essential” here is in reference to the scent, rather than meaning “absolutely necessary”. Myrrh is very strong, so it is best to dilute it. Dissolve 5 drops of Myrrh essential oil in 5ml of vodka. Then dilute this with water and use as a mouth wash. The antibacterial properties of Myrrh will help with the healing of the ulcer. Don’t worry about the alcohol as 5ml of Vodka is a very small amount, but if you prefer you can just leave it out and dilute in water directly. I have found myrrh to have some effect in healing mouth ulcers and can be used as a rinse before applying another medicine direct to the ulcer.

Herbal Treatment

Apply a herbal tincture direct to the ulcer to reduce swelling, sensitivity and to speed up the healing of the ulcer. The best herbs for treating mouth ulcers are:

• Myrrh (as mentioned before)
• Sage
• Marigold
• Thyme
• Cone Flower

Cone Flower (Echinacea angutilolia) is the most efficient herb -  it helps build up your immune system and is also available in capsule form.

This is a quick post about triamcinolone acetonide, which I think is the best drug to get rid of mouth ulcers. I have posted much information already on the blog about this drug, including these two more detailed posts:

http://www.cankersoresolutions.com/2009/12/how-to-get-rid-of-canker-sores/
http://www.cankersoresolutions.com/2009/12/adcortyl-in-orabase-discontinued/

However in a nutshell Triamcinolone Acetonide is as far as I know the most effective SHORT TERM treatment for mouth ulcers (canker sores).

In my experience it will halve the time it takes to get rid of them. It is a drug aimed at curing and protecting the ulcer. It offers a small amount of pain relief, but mainly thats is through protection of the ulcer rather than the drug itself.

The drug is known in the UK as Adcortyl in Orabase. Orabase is the sticky substance it is delivered in and can be purchased on it’s own without the active ingredient, if you so desire. Adcortyl is the brand name for the active ingredient Triamcinolone Acetonide. It is also known as Kenalog in other countries.

I am a person who generally doesn’t like to use chemicals to solve problems (I avoid painkillers and the like) however this is far more effective than any other treatment I know. However it won’t help in prevention, it is a cure for mouth ulcers but it won’t stop them coming back.

Information on purchasing Kenalog in Orabase can be found here.

I have suffered from these all my life, so I know the problem all to well! The canker sore is a lesion in the mouth which can have a wide variety of causes, such as citrus fruits, lack of sleep, illness and immune system deficiencies. It can be caused by the simple accidental biting of the lip. I used to get mouth ulcers every other week, but in the last 2 years it is much less common for me. I think the main reason for me is dealing with stress.

Here is a picture … I hope you are not too squeamish, otherwise quickly scroll down!

I think the best way to get rid of a mouth ulcer quickly is to use a medicine called triamcinolone acetonide. This is also known by it’s band names of “Adcortyl in Orabase” and “Kenalog in Orabase”. It is a thick pasty cream that binds closely to the mouth ulcer, both protecting it from saliva in the mouth and also helping it heal. It is best used at night after washing your teeth (in my experience) when you will no longer be drinking or eating, so you can sleep for hours and have the medicine do it’s magic.

Information on where to order Kenalog in Orbase (triamcinolone acetonide) can be found here.

If you are into natural medicine, an alternative, which I think has some effect is to use Myrrh which comes from the sap of trees. You may of heard of it because of it’s Christian significance. You have to dilute the Myrrh with a tincture otherwise it will be too strong. I usually find some relief using it however I am not sure it helps the healing process.

If you want to apply no medicine at all, then the best advice I have is to get a lot of sleep. This is the best advice I can give for anyone with mouth ulcers, as they are often an indicator of a run-down immune system. Sleep can help with this, as can taking vitamin supplements, working less hard.

Another immune tip I have is to take “cat’s claw” suppliment (uncaria tomentosa) to boost the immune system. I have taken these in the past and I can attest that it helped give me more energy through times when my immune system was low (and literally my white cell count was low). I believe this substance helped me improve the white cell count back to normal. The “cat’s claw” plant is shown below.

Hopefully this is food for thought, and you will be able to get rid of those horrid canker sores. Once you have got rid of them, use the tips in my eBook to help prevent them coming back, so you can enjoy your life.

I will also give tips on where to get it, now that it has been discontinued by Bristol Myers Squibb.

“Adcortyl” or “Triamcinolone” may not mean much to you, but this medicine is the best cure for any mouth ulcers you have right now. It is a pasty substance that sticks to the ulcer and will stay there, unless you eat or drink. For this reason it is best to use Adcortyl at night after you have washed your teeth and used mouthwash. Make this the last thing you do before you go to bed, and you will probably wake up to find the ulcers a little smaller, a little less painful or at least a sign that they are disappearing. You can also use it during the day if you wish, but best after meals and if you are not planning on drinking anything (even water) for a few hours.

Usage Tips

I remember when a doctor first prescribed this drug to me. I was given no advice on how to use it, and as a result it gave me little success and a sticky mouth! I saw another doctor a few months later who himself suffered from mouth ulcers and said this was categorically the best treatment you can get. He also told me how to use it. It’s all about dabbing the paste onto the effective area and not rubbing it in or touching it afterwards. To do this well and get the right quantity takes practice. I generally use my fingers direct after washing my hands as I find this easier than using a cotton bud or spatula, but hey it’s up to you.

How to get hold of this in the UK?

Now the name “Adcortyl” is the name used in the United Kingdom by the manufacturer Bristol Myers Squibb. Unfortunately due to commercial reasons (duh!) they discontinued the product in March. I am lucky I still have my tube, but when that runs out what do I do? Well the tubes costs about £4-£5 as I remember. If you are willing to pay a bit more you can import the equivalent drug called Kenalog which you can import.

For suppliers, see this page on where to by Kenalog in Orabase worldwide.

Elsewhere in the world

OK I am going to be lazy here and just say either:

1. Ask your doctor / pharmacist
2. Check the link as per UK: where to by Kenalog in Orabase worldwide

Medical Lowdown

I am not a doctor or pharmacist, so the best I can do is copy what is written on netdoctor.co.uk:

Triamcinolone is a type of medicine called a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are medicines used for reducing inflammation. Inflammation in the mouth can occur as a result of irritation or trauma to the tongue or the soft tissues lining the mouth. The inflammation is caused by the release of various substances that are important in the immune system. These substances cause blood vessels to widen, resulting in the affected area becoming red, swollen and painful.

Conclusion

As far as I know this is the best treatment for mouth ulcers, however if you find you have to use this medicine every week then maybe you need to look at prevention too! Get my free eBook by entering your name and email address on the right hand side.

This article is for general information only. Always consult your doctor before buying or taking any medicines. Feel free to print this article to show your doctor.