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And last, but not least, are two comprehensive replies that resonate
strongly with my four years of puzzling over the cause of my canker
sores.  First such reply:

*"Approximately 20% of the population is afflicated with
canker sores. The four major contributing factors for the outbreaks
are:
1. Abrasive contact of foods, teeth or dental appliances to the
inner lining of the mouth.  Most common: chips, pretzels,
braces, or teeth grinding (affecting inner lining).

2. Allergic food reactions.  Most common: chocolate, citrus & nuts. I
haven't heard of corn, but I'm sure it's possible.  Rinsing your
mouth after consuming the offending food would help.

3. Lack of certain nutrients.  Most common: B12, iron & folic acid.

4. Toothpastes containing sls.  Most toothpastes contain sls (sodium
lauryl sulfate).  SLS has been found to aggravate already existing
sores. Try plain baking soda or SLS-free toothpaste.

Some possible solutions:

a- Avoid abrasive or sharp foods which rub against the inside of
the mouth.
b- Rinse mouth with salt water (1 tsp salt per quart of water)
several times a day, and especially after eating.
c- Have your B12, iron & folic acid levels checked by your doctor.
d- The approved drug (oral paste) Aphthasol has been shown effective
at reducing healing time.  Other over-the-counter products might help
numb the pain of active canker sores. d- Change toothpaste to sls-
free or use baking soda."

*And the other similar reply:

"Corn chips or anything with hard or sharp edges are likely to
scratch the inside of your mouth.  The scratching effect of certain
foods can irritate the gums, inside cheek or  throat and cause canker
sores in the area of irritation.  Eating dry/hard cereal without milk
or milk substitute, or munching on tortilla chips can do it for some
people.

Getting dental work can also lead to canker sores a couple days after
the trauma to the tissues in the mouth.  Inadvertently biting the
inside of your cheek can also lead to canker sores.  The best advice
is to be gentle to the insides of your mouth.  Some people are just
more susceptible to canker sores and it may have nothing to do with
the actual ingredients in the foods your eating, but rather their
shape and texture."

**************

My summary of experience with what has worked for me in preventing
canker sores can be written  in only a few lines, but what a lot of
time has been spent in learning this!

Eliminate all gluten from the diet.  Don't even eat oats.

Don't eat any whole kernal corn.

Take a month or so course of once-daily Vitamin B Complex tablets.

If eating chocolate, go easy on it.  Before going to bed after
indulging in chocolate or any other sugary and sticky food, do a
thorough flossing and brushing of the teeth.  I don't use any
toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulfate or any other
surfactant/foaming compound.  Instead I use Squigle toothpaste and
occasionally sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda or bread
soda).

Get the teeth professionally cleaned every six months.

If the mucous membranes of the lips of the cheeks are injured by
biting or by eating something sharp, before retiring for the night
abrade that injury until it is raw and clean.  Then apply an
antiseptic like Betadine.  For quicker healing and insurance, after
the Betadine has acted on the spot, rinse it then apply a little
Gengegel.

Finally, readers may be interested to know that there is a very good
bulletin board on the Internet devoted exclusively to canker sores
(mouth ulcers).  It can be found at:
http://mouthulcers.org:8080/mouthulcers/board.html

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