Mouth ulcer treatment

There are several products that are available over the counter and as a prescription that may be used to reduce pain and speed up the healing time of mouth sores. These products include:

• Topical medication for mouth ulcers is typically available as a mouth rinse, gel, or paste. These products may be sold over the counter or ordered as a prescription. Most topical products for canker sores contain ingredients such as:
• Benzocaine (Orabase, Zilactin-B, Anbesol)
• Fluocinonide (Vanos)
• Hydrogen peroxide (Peroxyl, Orajel, Orajel Antiseptic Rinse)

If mouth sores are severe, your doctor may prescribe a mouth rinse that contains lidocaine or the steroid dexamethasone to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Debacterol is a cauterizing solution that is applied to a mouth ulcer to close the wound, relieve pain, and encourage healing. Even though you may experience some mild pain while applying the solution, this cauterizing medication has been shown to reduce healing time by as much as a week.

Most mild mouth ulcers do not require medical treatment. Instead, there are a number of self-care strategies you can use to relieve pain and relieve inflammation caused by the sores. These include:

- Use a homemade mouth rinse. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in ½ cup of warm salt water and swish it around the mouth for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

- Apply milk of magnesia. Dab small amounts of milk of magnesia onto the lesions several times a day.

- Avoid triggering foods. Spicy food and highly acidic foods (such as chocolate and coffee, as well as fruits such as pineapples and strawberries) can irritate mouth sores, and lead to new sores.

- Ice the sore. Let small ice chips slowly dissolve over mouth sores to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

- Avoid toothpaste with SLS. Some people experience mouth sores caused by sodium lauryl sulfate, an ingredient in many kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes. Look for brands that do not contain this ingredient to avoid further irritation and future sores.