Extremely painful and often misunderstood, canker sores (also known as aphthous ulcers or mouth ulcers) are oval or round shallow lesions within the mouth that are white, gray, or yellow in the center with a red border.

So…they’re the same as cold sores right?

Wrong. Canker sores are not, I repeat…not the same as cold sores. Canker sores occur inside the mouth, while cold sores appear under the nose and around the mouth. Also, cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (type 1) and are highly contagious. The cause of canker sores is unknown and they are not contagious.

Types of canker sores:

Simple or minor canker sores are the most common type of canker sore and they are usually less than 1/3-inch wide. These sores normally clear up in about 2 weeks.

Major canker sores are large lesions (greater than 2 cm in diameter) that have an irregular border. These sores can last months or even years and may cause extensive scarring.

Herpetiform canker sores are clusters of dozens of small lesions that may coalesce or merge to form a single large ulcer. These ulcers usually develop later in life and may last from one week to a month or even longer.

Canker Sore Symptoms:

• A tingling or burning sensation will occur before the ulcer forms
• Painful red bump(s) that may occur on the soft palate, the tongue, or inside your cheeks
• Sores are usually under 1 cm but may be larger
• The sore may turn gray before healing
• Fever
• Lethargy
• Painful swelling of the lymph nodes

Canker Sore Causes:

The cause of canker sores is unknown. They occur more frequently in women than in men. Although mouth ulcers can occur at any age, they usually appear between the ages of 10 and 40.

Canker sores may occur due to heredity. 50% of people with canker sores have a family member with the same affliction.

Oftentimes canker sores are triggered by something. The most common trigger is trauma to the mouth—accidental biting, aggressive cleaning and sharp dental appliances.

Stress, hormones, nutritional deficiencies (usually iron or folic acid), food allergies and other problems can all trigger the occurrence of a canker sore.

Home Remedies and Tips

These are some of recommendations and remedies:

Ditch your toothpaste. The majority of toothpastes on the market contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which is simply a detergent that makes your toothpaste foam. I use and would wholeheartedly recommend Biotène toothpaste and mouthwash. It doesn’t contain any SLS and it’s a gentle formula. So, if you can live without foam mouth, then switch your toothpaste.

Another good rinse is Ulcer ease (CVS). It works great as a mouthwash and it takes the pain away.

Also, try to stay away from acidic fruits and vegetables when you have a canker sore because they can trigger the emergence of one or they can make the problem worse.

Licorice root can be obtained over-the-counter in medicated disk patches and may help heal or reduce the growth of canker sores when used during the early stages of the sore.

Peroxide gargle. Mix 3 parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide will help ward off harmful bacteria. Gargle and swish around your mouth and then spit out. Do not swallow.

Swish a tablespoon of milk of magnesia around your mouth to coat the ulcer. Use this method early on before a red ring develops around the sore (a sign of infection). Do not use on an infected canker sore.

Place a wet tea bag (black tea) on the sore. The tannic acid found in black tea works as an astringent to help relieve pain.

—Nolan

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Experiencing aches and pains in or around your tooth? Congratulations! You have a toothache. But what does the pain mean is actually wrong with you? Well, it could be one of many things. A toothache (also known as ondontalgia) can be the result of cavities (dental carries), infection (abscess), tooth decay, gum or jaw disease, a cracked tooth, rupturing wisdom teeth or other some other more serious illness.

Don’t get too worked up quite yet. There is also such a thing as a toothache in normal teeth called atypical ondontalgia. This is more of a dull, aching pain that is not restricted to one tooth. In fact, it often floats to other teeth for as long as a few months to over a year. No one is quite sure of the cause of atypical ondontalgia, though some may liken it to a somatoform disorder.

To find out the true source of the pain in your teeth, it’s best to make an appointment with your dentist.

Home Remedies for a Toothache

Crush a clove of garlic in a garlic press and apply the pulp to the affected tooth. Garlic releases allicin when crushed and has a powerful antibiotic effect. Pure garlic can cause skin irritation in some people, so use caution with this remedy.

Squeeze a lime into a glass of water and drink daily to cure toothache. Lime water also helps to prevent future cavities and decay from forming due to its high vitamin C content. Vitamin C naturally kills bacteria.

Peppermint is a natural anti-inflammatory and may help aid in lessening the overall pain of a toothache. Add a few drops of peppermint extract to hot water and drink. If you have fresh peppermint around, boil a couple leaves in a cup or water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool a little and drink.

Clove oil is a good, natural remedy for the horrible pain of a toothache. Cloves are a natural antiseptic, pain killer and anti-bacterial agent. Soak a cotton ball in clove oil and apply to the tooth for up to one hour. Use this method throughout the day for extra relief.

A bit of vanilla extract applied to a cotton ball can numb the pain of a toothache, somewhat like Novocaine.

–Magdalena

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Are your gums swollen and tender? Do they bleed even with gentle brushing? If so, you may suffer from some type of gum disease. Gingivitis is one of the most common forms of gum disease and if it goes untreated, it can lead to other gum diseases and even tooth loss.

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gingiva (or gum tissue) surrounding the teeth. Usually gingivitis is caused by bacterial plaque that builds up in gaps between the teeth and gums. It’s important to brush your teeth and clean between teeth promptly so that plaque and tartar don’t remain on your teeth for extended periods of time.

Causes of gingivitis:

Sometimes medications can alter the gum tissue and leave the gingiva more vulnerable to bacterial infection.

An underlying illness may also hinder the immune system in fighting off bacteria along the gumline.

Hormonal changes during puberty and pregnancy can also cause the gums to be more prone to infection.

Smoking increases the growth of bacteria and weakens your immune system, which makes you more susceptible to a bacterial invasion.

Symptoms of gingivitis:

• Swollen, shiny and/or itchy gums
• Mouth sores
• Receding gumline
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Gum color changes from a healthy pink to bright red
• Pain occurs when pressure is applied
• Gums bleed easily, especially when flossing

Home remedies

Gingivitis is treatable and can improve greatly after a professional cleaning. However, you still need to maintain good oral hygiene after you’ve visited the dentist. Below are some ways you can treat gingivitis at home.

Brush properly
Brush your teeth for three to five minutes two to three times a day. Choose a soft brush (medium to hard brushes may cause damage to the gum tissue, especially if you’re brushing too hard). Only apply enough pressure so that the tips of the brush are working against the surface of your teeth (your toothbrush shouldn’t look like the bristles are all over the place-you may be brushing too hard). Replace your toothbrush every three months.

1. Position your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle along the gumline.
2. Brush the outer tooth surfaces using a back and forth motion.
3. Maintaining a 45-degree angle (make sure the bristles are in contact with both the tooth surface and the gum tissue) brush the inner surfaces using a back, forth, and rolling motion.
4. Get behind the front teeth by moving the brush up and down in a vertical motion.
5. Scrub the biting surface of your teeth by using a back and forth motion.
6. Brush the tongue from back to front (or use a tongue scraper) to get rid of bacteria.

Floss the right way

1. Use around 18-inches of floss and wrap around both middle fingers, leaving an inch of floss in between.
2. Hold the floss taut and curve around each tooth in a “C” shape. Scrape up and down the sides of each tooth. Make sure that the floss moves under the gumline until you feel resistance.
3. Continue this process with the rest of your teeth to remove plaque and massage your gums.

Anise is a herb that you can use as a tea flavoring and it works as an antiseptic to fight the spread of microorganisms.Cranberry juice. Not only does it help for urinary tract infections, but cranberry juice also works to prevent the adhesion of bacteria to the teeth. If you decide to try the juice, be sure to buy it without sugar. You can also try whole cranberries or cranberry tablets.

Peppermint works as an antiseptic and helps to fight bacteria, tighten tissues and relax muscles.

Pomegranate helps protect against free radicals. It also has antiviral and antibacterial effects that fight against dental plaque.

Vitamin C helps treat and prevent periodontal disease. You should try to get at least 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day.

-Nolan

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There is nothing worse than someone gently telling you that your breath stinks. Quite frankly, it’s one of the most embarrassing things to find out about yourself.

What causes bad breath?

There are a lot of reasons that your breath may not smell like roses. One of the most common is dental hygiene. If you don’t brush or floss your teeth everyday, you’re a prime candidate for bad breath. Bacteria growing between your teeth makes for a not-so-nice scent. Bad breath (also known as halitosis) may also be one of the warning signs of the onset of gum disease.

Certain foods (like milk, some cheeses, garlic, onion, etc.) may also contribute. Even other diseases and illness, such as a liver problem, infections and pneumonia, can be the underlying cause of bad breath.

Home remedies to treat bad breath

Try a tea made of cloves to neutralize bacteria. Just take a few whole cloves or a small spoonful of the crushed variety, put it in a tea ball and steep it in hot water for about 10 minutes. If you don’t like the taste, simply gargle with it after brushing your teeth.

That parsley you get on your plate the next time you go out, don’t waste it! Chewing parsley is a great way to freshen breath. In fact, this is one of the oldest breath freshening remedies on the books! Ingesting the leaves will leave your breath smelling sweet even hours after the fact.

Most of the foul-smelling bacteria that cause bad breath accumulate on your tongue. A good tongue scraping, either with an actual tongue scraper or just a tooth brush, can instantly sweeten your breath.

Drink lots of water! Bad breath is often found in people with dry mouth. So the more water you drink, the more hydrated you are and the more saliva you produce. Saliva cleans your mouth of the odor-causing bacteria that’s festering there.

Recent studies have also found that yogurt is a good way to combat bad breath. The good bacteria found in your cup of Yoplait take out the odor-causing bacteria inside your mouth. This is probably one of the best-tasting bad breath remedies available.

But nothing beats the dentist

While home remedies help you keep bad breath in check, it is always good to see your dentist every six months for a cleaning. This will remove plaque, one of the leading causes of bad breath. Cavities and gum disease are also some pretty heinous bad breath invokers, and your dentist can help treat those problems (if you have them) as well.
-Magdalena

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