Canker Sores

Treatment

Patients with canker sores should seek medical attention
when they experience the following:

• Unusually large sores
• Persistent sores, lasting three weeks or more
• Pain that cannot be controlled with self-care measures
• Difficulty drinking enough fluids
• Difficulty maintaining nutrition
• High fever
• Continuous ulcers, with new ones developing as old ones heal

Treatments may include a prescription mouthwash or corticosteroid salve. Additional treatments which may relieve pain and speed up healing time include:

• Pain reducers. Over-the-counter anesthetic products (such as Cankaid™ or Anbesol™) can be applied directly to the affected area.
• Acid treatments. An acid solution called an escharotic converts the sore to a burn, which allows it to heal more quickly.
• Prescription medications. Prescription medications can be applied to the affected area to help control the inflammatory process that leads to canker sores. These include amlexanox and fluocinonide and should be applied before an ulcer appears, as often as every two hours when the patient is awake for the first few days of the ulcers.
• Treatments that coat the mouth. Doctors may recommend treatments such as Orabase™ or Carafate™ that coat the ulcers in the mouth.

Patients with complex aphthosis have one or more associated conditions such as an intestinal or blood disease, or a deficiency of iron, folic acid, vitamins B-6 or B-12 or zinc. These patients are referred to appropriate specialists to treat the underlying condition.