Question:
I really need some help here. It's gotten so bad that I only get a week or so
between outbreaks. I've used several topicals that can be found at drug stores.
These seem to help a bit with the pain, but they still take forever to go away
and I often have several at a time. I don't really have any other health
problems, but my stress levels are fairly high. Are there any definitive causes,
cures, or preventatives.
Answer:
There are no over the counter remedies that have ever been shown to speed
healing.
There are several treatments that may reduce the frequency of canker
sores (aphthous stomatitis) such as antibiotic rinses.
Treatment of canker sores is best done with topical steroid preparations
or steroid rinses. These can only be obtained in the necessary strengths
by prescription.
The cause of canker sores is not really known, but is probably some
sort of autoimmune phenomenon.
Dermatologists are the specialists who usually deal with this, although
internists and family practitioners should also be able to manage
canker sores.
