I've had this canker sore on my cheek for about 5 days now and it hurts a lot when I eat. I already tried that mouthwash but it didn't help much. Is there anything that actually works or do I just have to wait it out?
An ulcer takes around 7 to 14 days to go away, so at 5 days you're still halfway through. What really works is using a mouthwash with chlorhexidine (like Periogard) twice a day, but the big secret is not to mess with the spot - avoid hot, acidic and very salty foods while it's there, because messing with it makes the pain worse. Numbing oral gel before eating helps in the moment, but time is really the best cure.
Most regular mouthwashes don't really make much of a difference, that's true! What actually speeds things up is something pretty simple: stop poking at the canker sore with your tongue (that's the worst thing you can do!) and use a local anti-inflammatory like Tantum Verde or even a miconazole gel that kills bacteria.
For me it worked well to apply ice to the area for a few minutes and then eat soft, lukewarm foods, and completely avoid salt and acid. Mine disappeared in about a week when I started doing this, but yeah, some people take up to two weeks.
The most common mistake is constantly touching it with your tongue - that only makes it worse and stretches out the healing time. Also avoid very acidic or salty foods during this period, because they just irritate it more.
As for treatment, regular mouthwash doesn't really do much. What actually makes a difference is using something with anti-inflammatory or healing properties - there are gels and pastes specifically for canker sores that create a protective barrier. Then it becomes way less painful to eat. Usually 7 to 14 days is the normal healing time, depending on how big the sore is, but with the right care the pain decreases much faster.
If after two weeks the canker sore hasn't improved or it starts swelling a lot, then it's worth seeing a dentist. But that's rare - most of the time it's just a matter of waiting and protecting it properly 😊
Regular mouthwash doesn't really solve much, I agree with that - what actually makes a difference is avoiding poking at it with your tongue, because that just makes the inflammation worse. Other than that it's just a matter of waiting it out, around 10 days or more depending on how big the canker sore is.
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