Canker Sores (Mouth Ulcers)

Anyone have a sure-fire cure?  I've got 3 HUGE sores in my mouth that are merging to make one gicantic ulcer.  I'm so miserable!!!  I've also got a big, tender swollen gland under my jaw on the same side.  Maybe I'm a bit run down, but I've got too little time and money to run to the doctor for this.  I've added some extra vitamins in hopes it will boost my immune system.  Meanwhile, can anyone offer some hope for relief?  (Besides just giving it time?)

I don't know about infallible cures, but I've found that it helps speed up the process to leave baking soda on them for a bit.  The trick is to not let the saliva in your mouth wash it all away.  I do it when nobody is watching the funny ways I'm holding my tongue!! It does seem to kill them off a bit faster.  Good luck!  I hate those!

Unfortunately there's nothing that makes healing time quicker.

If they're utterly horrible, get a oral numbing agent to use inside your mouth. Teething gel works, but I think there's an adult version which is stronger. I used to used a '2nd skin' type product which would coat the sore, but it seems to have been taken off the market in the US. (damn!)

I'm sure you know the rest... get lots of sleep, reduce stress, and don't eat anything acidic (tomatoes, orange juice) or spicy until they heal over.

I've never had a canker sore, but I did a quick Google (Google Geek am I!) and found out this:

1)  Toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) can cause, or have an aggravating effect on canker sores. Check your toothpaste!

2)  Over-the-counter numbing products can really help the pain. Look for those that contain benzocain, benzoin tincture, lidocaine, camphor or phenol.

3)  Anti-bacterial mouth rinses (such as Listerine) are supposed to help speed up the healing of canker sores.

4)  Some people find that swishing a teaspoonful of Milk of Magnesia and Benadryl allergy liquid (diphenhydramine) mixed 50/50 over their canker sores (then spitting it out) four to six times per day helps minimise the pain.

5)  Herbal remedies thought to relieve anxiety -- such as chickweed, violet and rockrose -- have also been found to be good treatments for canker sores.

6)  Daily consumption of the bacteria lactobacillus acidophilus is believed to help prevent outbreaks of canker sores. A good source is yogurt -- but make sure your yogurt contains an active culture of acidophilus.

Don't know if any of these will do the trick for you, but I hope so! Hope you feel better soon.

my mother always put a powder of alum on them, it cleared them up right away- believe it could be bought at the drugstore

I put salt directly on mine when I get them and they go away a few days faster then letting them heal on their own.  Canker sores are horrible 

I stopped drinking soda a few years back and have not had them since.

I have no idea if there is a scientific connection, though.

I never drink soda (only water) and I get them a fair bit.  I've no idea why either!!

When my MIL had chemo, one of the side effects was mouth ulcers.  They recommended to swish with a solution of water and baking soda. 

I put salt directly on mine when I get them and they go away a few days faster then letting them heal on their own.  Canker sores are horrible 

Yeah, this is good, if a bit painful, advice. I used to get canker sores all the time when I was a kid/teen. Swishing with a mouthful of salty water as many times a day as you can get around to will spped up recovery time and also has a numbing effect. The salt helps kill bacteria around the sores which helps them heal more quickly.

My sympathies to you    They're a really painful and unpleasant thing to deal with.

I get them if I'm really run down.  A teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a glass of warm water.  Swish and spit.

Works a treat!

1)  Toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) can cause, or have an aggravating effect on canker sores. Check your toothpaste!

I have suffered from canker sores since I was a child, often getting 3 at a time. A few years ago I started using toothpaste without SLS and the problem completely went away. It really felt like a miracle! If you are in the US, the toothpaste, Biotene is good, but expensive. In the UK, Superdrug has a toothpaste for 35p called Just Toothpaste that doesn't have SLS.
Good luck, I know how horrible it can be! 

I use Bonjela (not sure of spelling)...kills the pain and is antiseptic.

I used to get them when I was working in a post I really hated (pathology lab) just the stress of my co workers drove me mad. I used to drink milk and that helped in pain management.

corsodyl mouthwash is excellent for reducing mouth ulcers you can get it at Boots

Thanks guys.  I'll give some of these a try.  I get canker sores from time to time, but these ones are killers! 

(Ok, no more whining about them, promise!)