What are Aphthous Ulcers
Aphthous ulcers, commonly known as canker sores, are noted for being quite painful, particularly when eating, drinking, or brushing teeth. These ulcers can be caused by a variety of factors such as stress, injury or hormonal changes. But for the most part, happen for no apparent reason.
A study reported in the Journal of the American Dental Association (August 2017) suggests that, in some patients, discontinuing cow's milk protein eliminates the occurrence of these troublesome mouth sores. Two children, both with five-year histories of recurrent aphthous ulcers, reported being ulcer free after eliminating cow's milk protein from their diets.Although this study only addresses two patients, and we do not normally draw conclusions from studies of such limited scope, it may be worth eliminating cows milk from your diet if you are experiencing the same symptoms.
Treating Aphthous Ulcers
Aphthous Ulcers, for the most part, will clear up on their own within a couple of weeks. Some things you can do to help the healing are staying away from spicy foods and acidic drinks, using a soft toothbrush, and drinking from a straw. There are some over the counter pain-killing remedies that come in pastes, gels, sprays, and mouthwashes that you can use to help alleviate the pain while the ulcers heal.
Call Your Pike Creek Dentist
If for some reason you notice unusually large sores, sores that are spreading or sores that last longer than three weeks, please call your local Pike Creek dentist to look into treatment.
