I had one last week and let me tell you, it was quite painful.
It was on the inside area of my lower lip. When I woke up that morning, I couldn’t understand why it hurt so much to slightly move my lower lip.
The diagnosis: Canker Sore, or if you want to get technical…Apthous Ulcer.
The following is a case study on canker sores…mine in this case.
Q: What did it look like?
A: Whitish-yellow, surrounded by a red area. Mine was about three millimeters. Most are normally less than one centimeter.
Q: What caused it?
A: In my case, it was most probably trauma from tooth brushing, as I recall looking back on it. But, canker sores can be caused by stress, menstrual periods, hormonal fluctuations, food allergies, and a lack of certain vitamins and minerals (namely iron, folic acid, vitamin B12).
Q: How long did it last?
A: Mine was typical of most…the pain lasted for about 7 – 10 days and it took about three weeks for it to completely heal.
Q: What did I do to relieve the pain and to get it to heal?
A: Personally, I didn’t do anything for it, aside from avoiding anything too hot or spicy.
But, it is recommended to rinse with a mild mouth rinse or salt water. You can even apply a small amount of Milk of Magnesia to it a few times a day. This can be quite soothing.
There are times when I give my patients who have a canker sore a prescription to aid in healing it and to relieve the pain.
Did You Know?
My canker sore went away after about 10 days, but had it lasted longer than about two weeks, I would have got it checked out to rule out any possible cancerous lesion.
Just remember; there’s no over-night remedy. Healing takes time and I’m not just talking about canker sores 🙂
Get to know Dr. Axelrad and make your next dental visit a positive experience. Call us today at (905) 791-3867 or visit us at Bestgate Professional Center, 40 Finchgate Boulevard, Suite 121, Brampton, Ontario. New patients, walk-ins and Emergencies are always welcome.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Dr Axelrad and Staff