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Canker Sores: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

Posted by: Dr. Sirakian     Categories: Uncategorized

Ah, canker sores. These tiny, painful bumps are a nuisance at best and totally debilitating at worst. A nasty enough canker sore in a particularly inconvenient place can leave you eating nothing but mashed potatoes and milkshakes for a week. While that sounds pretty delicious in theory, the pain of the canker sore definitely is not! So, what makes these tricky sores appear, and how do we rid ourselves of them for good? We did our research.

A canker sore is essentially just an ulcer in your mouth. Typically, they’re small, whitish bumps with an inflamed red border. They can be caused by bacteria, a cut inside of the mouth, or elevated levels of stress. Often, they’ll appear when the immune system is already compromised, so if you notice them pop up while you’ve got the sniffles, you know why.

Preventing canker sores is sometimes difficult, as they are unpredictable and, to a certain degree, inevitable. However, if you’re someone who finds yourself getting canker sores a lot, it helps to note when you’re seeing them. After eating certain foods? During times of extreme stress at work? While you’re already feverish? By identifying what factors tend to make you susceptible to sores, you can take active steps to try to avoid them.

If you are suffering from a canker sore, there are several topical gels available on the market to numb the pain and speed healing. A canker sore shouldn’t last more than a week or two, so if it feels like it’s been hanging around longer than that, consult your dentist or doctor.

Feb
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Beware of Brushing?

Too much brushing can’t hurt, right? Not exactly. The American Dental Association recommends that everyone brushes their teeth at least twice per day. If you’re especially keen about taking perfect care of your teeth, maybe you brush after meals too—be warned: there is a right way to do this. Researchers have discovered that brushing too […]

Jan
22

What Challenges Do Adults With Braces Face?

It used to be pretty rare for anyone other than teenagers to have braces, but in today’s society, everyone with a crooked tooth or an overbite has the option to get it corrected with adult braces. Adults have a wider array of orthodontic appliances available to them that make the process more streamlined and less […]

Dec
18

Why Do Some Healthy Foods Cause Tooth Decay?

According to a BBC article, one British mother was very unhappy when her five-year-old son needed a tooth pulled. Like many parents, she rarely gave her son soda or fruit juice and couldn’t understand how his teeth had gotten so bad. After asking her dentist, it turned out that the culprit was actually a “healthy” […]

Nov
27

Chew on This: Smaller Bites for Optimal Health

Although our parents always told us to take small bites and to take our time chewing food, we often forget about this sound advice as we wolf down meals in a our fast paced lives. Hopefully, understanding the damage that this may cause can remind us to be more mindful during our next meal. Lacerations […]

Sep
11

The Steps to Becoming a Dentist

If you’ve ever thought that a career in dentistry might be right for you, then read this! To become a dentist, you have to be willing to complete multiple years of school and be patient enough to work with people. How it starts: Complete a bachelors degree Completing a bachelor’s degree is step one in […]

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