Ouch! Canker sores can be incredibly irritating, and they can also make mealtime more of a pain than a pleasure. Fortunately most canker sores will heal on their own, in a few weeks or less. They also don’t generally require restorative treatment from your dentist or doctor. But, if you want to speed the healing process along even further, there are some simple steps you can take. Perhaps best of all, many involve only household products you might already have on hand!
What Can You Do to Improve Healing Time?
Doctors have not been able to determine a single cause of canker sores. However there are several potential contributors. Viral infections, for instance, may increase your chance of developing a canker sore. Stress and fatigue can also play a role, as well as food allergies or trauma to the mouth.
If you are suffering from a canker sore, you don’t necessarily need restorative treatment. Just keep in mind that the sore should begin to heal, on its own. If you don’t notice any improvement after a week, if it is particularly painful, or if you have several at one time, you may want to schedule an appointment with your preventive dentist.
In general, though, some of the best things you can do to help heal a cold sore faster are:
- Get adequate rest, and drink lots of water
- Keep your mouth clean, through regular hygiene and a mouth rinse (mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water for an affordable, simple and effective oral rinse you can make at home)
- Dabbing milk of magnesia on the cold sore can help it heal
- Eating foods with, or taking a supplement of Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin C and Lysine can improve your body’s ability to heal
- Echinacea, Sage and Chamomile can also be helpful
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