Anyone know a way to get rid of mouth ulcers?

[GlassOnion]

Anyone? I have this one mouth ulcer (really a tongue ulcer) that is on the very tip of my tongue. It's been there for about two weeks now. Usually by this time they've gone away but by the time the week's over I get cranky and start treating it.

Usually I gargle with salt water or put salt directly on the ulcer and that does it (though I usually use the latter method as a last resort. Burns like a demon). Or some Dr. Tishner's mouth wash will also work. But this particular ulcer has proved resilient to both techniques and is a regular pain in the....mouth.

 

[Renee750il]

Try some Tea Tree Oil. Or, if you can find it at an old fashioned drug store, something called Camphophenique is good. You might try dabbing some Betadine on it, too. It's good to heal stuff up, and it also seems to take a lot of the soreness out. It's particularly great for cat scratches.

 

[GlassOnion]

Betadine in the mouth? Is that safe?

I know I used it when a cat decided to scratch and bite the ever living hell out of my hand (was restraining it, it didn't like being restrained, and when we were done and I let go it latched onto my hand and went to town) but I'm not sure if it's safe to be put into the mouth.

I'll look for the other stuff though. Where can I get tea tree oil? Just a grocery store or do I have to find a specialty asian shop or something?

 

[Renee750il]

Most anyplace that has health foods will have tea tree oil. I think even Walmart has it now.

There's an oral betadine. If you've got a bad sore throat or you've strained or abraded your throat (like from yelling too much), diluted it makes a fantastic gargle to hurry the healing up and alleviate the pain.

By the way, you need to learn how to wrap a cat

 

[GlassOnion]

Hrm, well I'll try that then.

I googled it and also found benzocaine and 'squeezing the oil from a vitamin E capsule onto the ulcer' might help.

I really don't see what Vitamin E is going to do for my ulcer but we'll see. I'm willing to try anything.

Problem is I'm going to be throwing all this crap onto it so I have no control to find out which one actually works for the future.

By the way, you need to learn how to wrap a cat

Well normally we make Kitty Burritos all the time and show our clients how to do it as well, but this cat was really good before we started messing with it (all we really did, though, was draw some blood from his saphenous vein). It surprised the hell out of both me and the vet that it turned on us like that.

I'm honestly convinced it was plotting my demise. Why else would it be really good, then wait til I release it before eating me? It was a plot from the beginning. **** cats.

 

[Renee750il]

Benzocaine will numb it and the vitamin E reduces scarring and general irritation. Neither one will speed healing, though.

 

[GlassOnion]

Yah I know what benzocaine does but I'm not convinced about Vitamin E.

It's an antioxidant. I am not oxidizing. My mouth ulcer does not have free radicals shooting out of it.


But, again, I will give it a shot. Even if it just reduces the irritation I'll call it a win.

 

[Renee750il]

My mouth ulcer does not have free radicals shooting out of it.

Now there's a visual . . . . :rofl1:

 

[Dizzy]

Gargle with salt water.

Also buy Bonjela. Or similar - it numbs it. You can't really 'get rid' of them once you have one, just make it more manageable till it goes on its own.

Tend to get them when you're stressed, or if you nick something in your mouth.

If you get a recurring one, or one similar - go to the docs immediately.

That is how my dad found out he had cancer of the tongue.

 

[ACooper]

Kevin gets them sometimes, although he calls them canker and I have no idea if that is the same thing.

He uses Kank-aid, it numbs it and kills germs.........he said it burns with the initial application, but only for a minute.

 

[Renee750il]

Don't know why I didn't remember this last night

Taking vitamin B complex seems to help.

 

[borzoimom]

When I was younger I use to get those. By taking vitamin C and a daily vitamin they stopped. Co-incidence or not but have not had them since.. Might be worth a try. ( like beefing up your immune system so to speak)

 

[smkie]

Since this one is persistant and as lasted longer then the ones before i would keep a careful eye on it. It may need checking by a doctor.

 

[bubbatd]

These can be so sore !! I agree with Smkie ...it's been too long . Has Numzit ( ?) helped ?

 

[GlassOnion]

What's Numzit?

I'm about to go to Wal-Mart and start searching for the stuff recommended.

If you get a recurring one, or one similar - go to the docs immediately.

Well I get them every now and then. They're not in the same place but sometimes I'll get them around the gums, sometimes in the cheek, and sometimes on the tongue. Most often just on the cheek and those vanish in a couple of days.

That is how my dad found out he had cancer of the tongue.

Uh oh....and how is he faring, may I ask?

Kevin gets them sometimes, although he calls them canker and I have no idea if that is the same thing.

I think they are the same.

 

[Dizzy]

What's Numzit?

Uh oh....and how is he faring, may I ask?

He just had his yearly check up last week, and all is good.

He came very close to losing his tongue though. He had radiotherapy and luckily - it worked.

He still can't grow hair on his cheeks where it was though (2 perfect squares) and he has ALWAYS had a beard, so now it's a goatee.

Doesn't have much saliva and blames that on his noisy eating habits (he was ALWAYS noisy).

I was about 14 when he had it, never knew the full extent of it. One thing I learnt is if I EVER have kids and I am ill, I will tell them the full story (age tailored).

We always have a house full of mouth washes now though... I am not sure exactly how that is supposed to safeguard against cancer though

And for the record - he is a non-smoker.

 

[bubbatd]

I know I spelled Numzit wrong .....it's to put on Baby's sore gums when teething .

 

[GlassOnion]

Oh, never heard of it. I did search for it but didn't see it.

I found Tea Tree Oil though, which has a very interesting taste, texture, and smell. After I spent the money and put it on the ulcer I read that it's not for internal use, external only, and not supposed to be put on scratches or broken skin.

Now I'm not concerned about the small amount I ingested, but doesn't the inability to put it on scratches kind of render its use as an anti-septic null? Do wish I had read that before I spent 5 dollars on it though.

I got some Vitamin E (felt ridiculous buying it lol) and some Vitamin B-Complex with vitamin C in it. I don't understand the absurd quantity of the vitamins they put in the capsules though. One of the B-Complexs I saw had 6,000% of your daily value of Thiamin. Granted it's a B vitamin, so no harm, but still...why so much? Your body is just going to use what it can and expel the rest. Not like it stores some for later. The kicker is that you'd think they'd stuff some B6 and B12 in there as well but no, it didn't say there's any present.

But anyhow, that's that. Hopefully something works.

 

[bubbatd]

Do check with your doctor too ! A friend of mine lost 3/4 of her tongue . You might check Oral-gel too .

 

[MisssAshby]

If mine stick around for very long I just always put straight salt on them. It BURNS like no tomorrow, but they were always gone the next day or so.