Dealing with Canker Sores
Two days ago, I had this tingling or burning sensation inside my mouth specifically at the back of lower lip. I thought it was nothing so I didn’t do anything about it until I accidentally hit the same spot while I was brushing my teeth last night.
When I woke up this morning, I got this small, shallow but painful ulcer in my mouth which makes eating and talking uncomfortable. I got canker sore. Let us not confuse ourselves with canker sores and cold sores. They may sound close but they are not the same. Cold sores, also called a fever blister are groups of painful, fluid-filled blisters. Unlike canker sores, cold sores are caused by a virus and are extremely contagious. Also, cold sores typically appear outside the mouth – usually, under the nose, around the lips, or under the chin while canker sores occur inside the mouth.
Back in the Philippines, it is thought that the cause of canker sore is because one did not take a bath or a lack of proper hygiene. This theory has lead to a disappointment between two of my friends in High School. In reality, the exact cause of canker sore is unknown. But medical and dental practitioners believed that simple canker sore is caused by a stress or tissue injury. Certain foods – including citrus or acidic fruits and vegetables (such as lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes, strawberries) – can trigger a canker sore or make the problem worse. Sometimes a sharp tooth surface or dental appliance, such as braces or ill-fitting dentures, might also trigger canker sores.
Some cases of complex canker sores are caused by an underlying health condition, such as an impaired immune system; nutritional problems, such as vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron deficiency; and gastrointestinal tract disease, such as Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease.
Since this is not my first encounter with canker sore, I knew from experience that pain from a canker sore generally lessens in a few days and the sores usually heal without treatment in about a week or two. But I am aiding it with a spray of Chloraseptic which helps in ceasing the pain even temporarily. With its presence, I also religiously use my pre-brush rinse and my mouthwash since in the Philippines, I use the Betadine oral wash for it. This reminds me that the main cure of my canker sore back there was a drop of that whitish color, watery latex from a Jatropa ( commonly known as physic nut or purging nut and locally known as Tuba-tuba) leaf when cut from its branch.
Howabout you? How do you deal with your canker sores?
Note: Pictures of canker sores are omitted due to its graphic nature. Instead an image of Tuba-tuba is presented since it is my main cure for canker sore way back in the Philippines.
back home i deal with my lu-as with salt,hahahah and of course the canker sore drops.it does work bya ang medication didto sa ato. it hurts like hell when you put it on,but only for a few sec.and it usually heals in about 3 days instead of a week. i get a lot of canker sores bya pud mita as in permi back home but here seldom lng bya. i also made a post about canker sore..
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Jacy Reply:
October 10th, 2008 at 11:44 am
i agree momi lods. that actually works. which reminds me of how Manoy treats his canker sore, by putting a drop of mantika sa baboy. it works pud.
i will check on your post momi lods. i probably missed it.
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glenn Reply:
April 17th, 2010 at 12:03 am
The best medicine that I’ve ever used in curing mouth ulcers is a liquid orangish drop known as KANKER SORE DROPS. It was available then in Cebu. And recently, I’ve bought the same medicine in Manila but it’s name is changed to MOUTH SORE SOLUTION. Fortunately, it is still very effective in curing with my mouth ulcers. Believe it or not, the pain will disappear in just minutes after you apply such drop into your mouth ulcers. However, the moment you apply the medicine into the mouth ulcers is really very painful. On the next day, the mouth ulcers begin to cure but no pain anymore. I bought it in SOUTH DRUG STORE. Try it, it is really effective.
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Didn’t know that tuba-tuba can also cure canker sore or locally known as “singaw”. I treat it by putting a small piece of Alum (aluminum sulfate) or tawas in tagalog on the surface of the sore for a few seconds. It heals fast.
Have a wonderful weekend, Jacy!
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Jacy Reply:
October 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am
hello Ai! who’s your day? that’s actually what my Tatay (father) discovered and since then it has become our official canker sore medication. hehehe!
That’s right! Alum also do wonders with it. If I’m not mistaken it heals the fastest but it’s the most painful of all.
Hope you’ll have a good weekend too, Ai!
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Canker sore as luas is my number one enemy because I always have canker in my mouth especially kung akoang mapaakan ang akoang lips or tounge. My husband will called me biggalips because my lips will be swollen:). I just gargled it with salt and mouthwash and sometimes I put canker soredrops. I hate it a lot. grrr…
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Jacy Reply:
October 10th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
that’s a simple medication teh but i’ve heard it works. guess i am just making it too complicated. hehehe!
thanks for sharing…
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hello, jacy! I have canker sore sometimes and I hate it..lolz. My remedy is only a certain type of teething gel (bonjela)which I used for my kids when they were teething before just for the relief of pain. It works well with canker sore. It was recommended by our GP.
I never know about this tuba tuba cures canker sore too. I know it has a lot of medicinal purposes but I can remember only one thing that the leaves are good for “piang”. lolz
The most common cure of canker sore back in my hometown is this “tawas”, it is so effective but very “hapdos” when it hit the affected area.lolzzz
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Jacy Reply:
October 11th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
hello ate Eden!
the choloraseptic that i use is only to relieve the pain too. as for tuba-tuba, it has indeed many uses. right now, it is even considered as a good source of bio-fuel.
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mamiC Reply:
October 12th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
i used the same treatment as ate eden here mami Jace. Bonjela heals it really fast! luckily, i don’t get canker sore that often mami.
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Jacy Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
i have to get some of those. i usually get canker sore if i bit my lip or injured it when i brush my teeth too hard. hopefully, we have Bonjela in our market.
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mamiC Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
mami Bonjela is really effective…try to get one if it’s available in your pharmacy. i can also suggest to you maybe to change your toothbrush to a battery/electric powered toothbrush kay mas better daw according to our dentist kay mas softer ang bristles and mas more effective pud sya in removing plaques from our teeth.
although medyo mahal mahal gyud pero at least we won’t change our toothbrushes that often.
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Jacy Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
i had a electric powered toothbrush but since i bought it in the Netherlands, the voltage doesn’t work here.
sige mami, i’ll take your advise. i’m going to save for an electric toothbrush. i’m thinking of either getting the Braun which i had in NL or the Oral B.
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have a butterfly award for you, let spread the wings of the butterfly
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Jacy Reply:
October 11th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
thanks! i’ll check it out.
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hahaha, I have the same experience about that when I have one, my friends said because I didnt take a bath but I always do. It so weird why they thought about it.
I heard about tuba-tuba plants as another source of bio-fuel in Florida… hehehe
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Jacy Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
i remember Haze 2 of my friends were not in good terms because of that remark. it’s funny man sad!
lagi, all-around na jud ning tuba-tuba.
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My husband gets Canker Sores a lot. He usually doesn’t do anything for it, I’ll have to pass some of your ideas along to him.
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Jacy Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
hello Melissa!
there are more helpful tips from the comments. it’s interesting to know how people deal with Canker Sores differently.
thanks for dropping by, sweetie!
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I’m glad I didn’t get canker sore problem. But I remember one time I got that canker sore I eat sour thing specially green mango. Ohhh weee!! that feels so good…. just don’t tolerate tha canker thing.
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Jacy Reply:
October 14th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I remember that’s what you and manang Rorie always tell me that I shouldn’t tolerate it.
Sakita pud ana uy!
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Tawas tastes like hell……….Can you please all write in german so i can understand !
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im here in manila,and was using it when i was in cebu and i was thinking i could buy it here in manila,but i was surprise they dont know the product even in the popular drugstore here on manila,,and until now im still searching where do i can buy the product..maybe lack of advertisement and slow marketing strategy..so i hope someday it will be available in any drugstore nationwide..
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thanks everyonw…now i know how to get rid of these lu-as..hehhehe…wlay treatment na painless?
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