How To Get Rid of Mouth Ulcers

Methods for how to get rid of mouth ulcers depend on the severity and type of the existing ulcers. The most common kinds of these ulcers include cold sores on the skin close to the lips and internal canker blisters on the sensitive inner lining of the mouth. Both of these sores can be quite painful and uncomfortable, but most of them can be treated successfully with some home remedies or with topical medicines available in most drug stores.

Cankers inside the mouth typically result from a variety of conditions such as an allergic reaction to certain bacteria in the mouth, an overactive immune system that attacks healthy cells by accident, or minor injuries from inadvertently biting the soft tissue inside the mouth. Some people are more prone to canker blisters than others, and a few can get them for no apparent reason at all. Most canker blisters are relatively small, although others can grow to more than one centimeter in diameter and can be excessively painful.

Eliminating a canker blister quickly often involves keeping it as clean as possible to prevent harmful bacteria from invading the injured tissue. One of the first steps that physicians recommend is to rinse the mouth several times a day with warm salt water. This step should ideally be done as soon as possible after each meal or snack; the salt carries away food residue and bacteria away quite effectively. Many canker sufferers also apply ointment containing soothing ingredients such as amlexanox to these mouth ulcers. Minor sores treated at home with these methods usually clear up in approximately one week.

Some cankers are large and severe enough to need medical attention in order to prevent deeper bacterial invasion. Most doctors prescribe a concentrated mouthwash containing medicines such as dexamethasone that kill the bacteria and speed up the healing process. Topical canker sore ointments containing tetracycline also help to heal these sores effectively.

Getting rid of cold sores is a different process since these ulcers are usually at the corners of the lips, although they can also appear on the upper or lower lip. The Type I herpes simplex virus is responsible for these kinds of mouth sores, and this infection is relatively common. Cold sores should normally heal without scarring as long as they are left alone. Doctors often strongly advise against popping or picking at the cold sores; this action can spread the viral infection to others and prolong the healing process.

The first step for treating a cold sore is to find a good quality topical cream with antiviral ingredients such as docosanol will shorten the cold sore's duration and help relieve pain. This type of medicine will also help prevent the virus from spreading to other people. Many cold sore sufferers also take care of the sore's irritation with pain relievers such as aspirin.

Answers for how to get rid of mouth ulcers are relatively simple ones for either type of sore. An important part of the process is to allow the body to naturally heal itself. Ulcers that are treated promptly carry little risk of more serious infections.