You may have had a canker sore at some point in your life and not realized it.  You would have noticed it though, since canker sores are painful.  They are found within the mouth and can last anywhere from seven to twenty-one days.

If you’ve had one you’ll know how you wished you could have done something to help it to heal quicker.   A cure for a canker sore can range from something as simple as eating healthier to changing the brand of toothpaste that you are using.

Canker sores are caused by several different things.  One of these is an injury to the mouth.  If you’ve had dental work done or if you were hit in the mouth, you may have developed an open sore.  Open sores within the mouth take longer to heal than other places on the body simply because of the moisture. 

If this open sore becomes infected it will become a canker sore.  Canker sores are painful and one way to treat them is to use a topical solution to dull the pain.  There are several brands available at most pharmacies and if you follow the directions, you’ll find the pain must easier to bear.

Changing your diet might be the best cure for a canker sore.  If you have a canker sore there are foods that you will want to avoid eating in order to speed the healing process.  Citrus fruits are difficult to eat when you have a canker sore.  The acid they contain when it comes in contact with the sore not only irritates it but it causes a good deal of pain for you.  Therefore try and avoid anything that contains a high level of acidity as well as things like chewing gum or hard candy.

Some foods that work as a cure for a canker sore are yogurt, buttermilk and cottage cheese.  These foods contain a substance that fights bacteria.  Ingesting it will help heal the canker sore.  If you are prone to getting canker sores it’s wise to incorporate them into your regular diet.

Another cure for a canker sore that isn’t obvious is changing your toothpaste.  Some toothpaste on the market contains SLS.  SLS is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  This substance is hard on the delicate mucous membranes within the mouth.  If you have a canker sore it will only irritate it more and cause it to heal at a much slower pace. 

Although canker sores are a pain you can effectively treat them so that they heal quicker and are much less painless.  It’s just a matter of making a few small changes.