Canker sores

[Bodie123]

Its been 3+ weeks of bad canker sores in my mouth, 1-2 at a time. Using magic mouthwash with lidocaine and Oralone paste. Eliminated acid, citrus fruits, vinegar products.  Swab cultured negative for herpes simplex.  Big mystery. Anyone ever suffered from these for this long? When one heals another comes. Driving me crazy. Any other suspicious allergens known out there, (wondering about chai latte)  or effective treatment please let me know.

-Bodie's Mom

[calledone]

Several years ago my daughter suffered with chronic canker sores. Her ENT doc wasn't helpful at all. However, her pediatrician told me (without performing any test) that it was due to folic acid deficiency. She prescribed 400mg of folic acid daily. It worked! Recently, I used the same remedy for my other child's canker sores. Again, it worked!

[evewisewoman]

Hello Bodie123,

Welcome to the allergy forum. I see you joined Med Help this month.
I knew next to nothing about canker sores, so I looked up canker sores
in a resource book I have called  " Prescription for Nutritional Healing
( Fourth Edition ) by Phyllis A Balch, CNC.   This book is apparently
America's Number ! Guide to Natural Health.  In case you want to buy
this book, it was copyrighted in 2006 and the ISBN 1-58333-236-7.
I am telling you this information so you know where I am getting this information about canker sores. The author has a whole section on canker sores. I am quoting a small portion of this info about canker sores.
You would find it on pages 298 - 299 in this book.
" Canker sores are small, white swellings that develop into ulcers. "
" They can appear on the tongue, the lips, the gums, or the insides of the cheeks. A coagulated yellowish mixture of fluids, bacteria, and white blood cells then covers the ulcers. The development of a canker sore may be preceded by a burning and tingling sensation. "  " Canker sores do not form blisters as cold sores ( fever blisters) do. "  " The herpes simplex virus type 1
causes the cold sore, commonly confused with the canker sore. "
" The canker sore, on the other hand, is an inflammation, rather than an infection."   " They ( canker sores) can be triggered by any of a number of factors, including poor dental hygiene, irritation from dental work, food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, viral infection,
an underlying immunologic disease ( such as HIV infection) trauma ( such as that caused by biting the inside of the cheek or using a hard - bristled toothbrush) stress, and /or fatigue. "  " They may result from an abnormal immune response to normal bacteria in the mouth. "   " Canker sores are occasionally associated with Crohn's disease, which affects the bowels. "
" Deficiencies of iron, lysine, vitamin B12, and folic acid have been linked to this disorder in some people. "
If you can get to a library,  a library might have a copy of this book
" Prescription for Nutritional Healing - Fourth Edition . This is just an idea if you don't want to or cannot for whatever reason buy your own copy of this book.
There are a number of supplements that are recommended by the author with specific instructions on how to take them in the book.

Recommendations

Eat plenty of salad with raw onions. Onions contain sulfur and have healing properties.
Include in the diet yogurt and other soured products, such as kefir, cottage cheese, and buttermilk
Do not eat fish or meat of any kind for two weeks. The consumption of animal protein increases the body's acidity, which slows healing.
Avoid chewing gum, lozenges, mouthwashes, tobacco, coffee, citrus fruits,
and any other foods that you know trigger these sores.
If you have repeated attacks of canker sores, check for nutritional deficiencies.
Do not take iron supplements unless your doctor prescribes them. Obtain iron from natural food sources.
Consult your dentist if you have a mouth sore that does not heal.

*  All of the above recommendations are from this book.

Considerations
Stress and allergies are probably the most common cause of open sores in the mouth.
Some doctors prescribe mouthwashes that contain tetracycline, an antibiotic, for canker sores.
If you get recurrent canker sores, your toothpaste may be the culprit.
Try toothpaste that does not contain the detergent sodium lauryl sulfate.
This is a detergent that may cause the mucous surfaces in the moth to dry out, leaving them vulnerable to attack from acidic foods. Also, do not use the same toothbrush for longer than one month. When canker sores on the gum are healing, it is best to use a very soft toothbrush.
The drug Zilactin is a gel-like ointment that is applied directly to the ulcer.
It sticks to the canker sore and gives relief from irritating foods.

* All the Considerations are from the book I quoted.

I know I have shared a lot of information with you. I hope you find it helpful in finding out what is causing the recurrent canker sores. I wish you well.  Eve