General Tips Mouth Ulcers
- Gargle salt water as it is a natural antiseptic
- Use clove oil (unless sensitive and not on open areas)
- Allow hot foods to cool
- Avoid eating hard foods/chew foods
- Avoid anything that makes your teeth sensitive
- Avoid food or drinks that are sugary
- Avoid products too hot or too cold
- Avoid hard, sharp and tough foods
- Drink plenty of water
- Use a straw, if have mouth ulcer only with cold liquids, hot liquids will burn throat
- Cut down or stop smoking (initially when quitting, one could get mouth ulcers, eventually will clear). Smoking can cause oral cancer and other diseases .
- Cut down on consuming alcohol:
- Have regular dental checkups and try to correct any conditions that damage your mouth e.g. braces, dentures, sharp, uneven teeth.
- Avoid being run down, stressed and do a hobby to take mind off things.
- Try to get plenty of sleep.
- Consider relaxation techniques:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Tai-chi
- Aromatherapy
- Reflexology
- Do not have oral sex when having a mouth ulcer, a mouth ulcer can leave the under lying skin exposed to external diseases.
- Mouth ulcers are not contagious. They cannot be caught by kissing, sharing utensils or towels.
- Eat a healthy diet
- Maintain good oral hygiene
- Good oral hygiene is when the mouth and teeth look and smell healthy.
- Teeth are free of debris and clean with no plaque, decay, tartar and cavities.
- Fresh breath.
- Teeth are firmly fixed in gums and gums dont bleed or hurt when brushed.
- No more sensitivity to teeth.
- Gargle salt water as it is a natural antiseptic
- Use a mouthwash
- Allow hot foods to cool
- Avoid eating hard foods/chew foods
- Avoid anything that makes your teeth sensitive
- Avoid food or drinks that are sugary
- Avoid products too hot or too cold
- Avoid hard, sharp and tough foods
- Certain foods can trigger ulcers. One must try to identify what they are as everyone is different. Typical examples include:
- Chocolate
- Tea/Coffee
- Peanuts
- Strawberry
- Almonds
- Tomatoes
- Wheat/Flour
- Colouring
- Preservative foods
- Hot spicy dishes
- Crisps Crusty bread
- Citrus products Sharp food with sharp edges
- Drink plenty of water
- Use a straw, if have an uncomfortable mouth only with cold liquids, hot liquids will burn throat.
- Floss at least once daily (not vigorously),a wide range of products are available.
- Dental floss
- Tape floss
- Tooth picks
- String floss
- Water jet wash systems
- Sugar-free gums (diabetics or if have intolerance to sugar or carbohydrate ingestion problems or acid problems should talk to a dentist first) are available to stimulate saliva production. This is need to promote good oral hygiene.
- Brush your teeth twice daily. Make sure the head is small enough in order to reach all parts of the mouth especially those with crooked or irregular teeth.
- For denture wearers:
- Properly clean ones dentures
- Brush gums with a soft tooth brush
- Remove dentures at night
- Ensure dentures fit properly and are not loose
Brushes
- Many brushes have many features and select accordingly to personal advice.
- Brushing hard can increase tooth sensitivity and damage gums and tooth enamel causing toothache and pain and infection.
- A soft one is good for very sensitive gums or denture wearers, or if one does brush hard consider a flexible neck or super soft bristles, so one can brush in comfort.
- Toothbrushes should generally be changed every three months as worn out brushes can damage gums.
- Electric toothbrushes are available for those who find hand movement brushing difficult or not effective.
Toothpastes
A wide range of ingredients are available some have a combination of ingredients t examples include:
For Plaque and Debris:
- Sodium laural sulphate and sodium N-lauroylsarcosinate these are known as detergents and helps the toothpaste to foam and loosen plaque and debris on the tooth surface.
For sensitive teeth:
- Potassium chloride/nitrate: they calm the nerves down in your teeth.
- Strontium chloride/acetate: they stop nerve being stimulated in your teeth.
For tooth decay:
- Fluoride containing toothpaste or washes help prevent tooth decay by making the enamel (outer part of tooth) ore stronger, resistant to acids produced by bacteria.
For tartar teeth:
- Pyrosphosphate-Stop the dental plaque changing to cause holes in teeth and build up of tartar.
For Bleeding gums:
- Triclosan and Stannous Flouride - antibacterial agent that fights bacterial to form less plaque, to form less tartar and less bleeding gums.
Tips for young babies and children:
- Sterilising dummies regularly and bottles after each use.
- Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for babies (use formula only if advised from a pediatrician or medical doctor)
- Do not add sugar to weaning foods or drinks as well as reducing the frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks.
- Parents and carers should start brushing their children’s teeth as soon as their teeth erupt. Normally twice daily (specially last thing at night) with a smear of toothpaste containing no less than 1,000 ppm fluoride .
- Children under three years should use no more than a smear of toothpaste (a thin film of paste covering less than three-quarters of the brush) and not eat or lick toothpaste from the tube
Dentists
- Visit your dentist at least every 6 months and when needed if oral issue occurs. Don’t prolong it as the gums are prone to bacterial attach and a worse condition may develop requiring stronger treatment.
- Have regular dental checkups and try to correct any conditions that damage your mouth e.g. braces, dentures, sharp, uneven teeth.
Natural treatments and tips (DR Axe)
