Canker Sore Got You Down? A Dentist in Framingham Can Help!

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January 4, 2018

Canker sore on the lower lip

Do you suffer from canker sores? If so, you know how uncomfortable and irritating they can be. It’s amazing that something so small can be such a big pain! They’re particularly hard to live with if you have a taste for acidic or spicy foods, like orange juice or curries. Unfortunately, those things are off the menu while you’re waiting for your canker sore to heal. Thankfully there are several things you can do to speed up the recovery time and also prevent these pesky little buggers from occurring in the first place. Keep reading as a dentist in Framingham talks more about this common problem.

What Causes Canker Sores and Can They Be Prevented?

Unfortunately, some people are simply more prone to getting canker sores than others, and no one knows exactly why.

Having said that, there are some known risk factors:

  • Allergies to foods or oral care products
  • Stress
  • Viral infections or a weak immune system
  • Vitamin deficiency

Talking with your doctor or dentist is a great place to start, as they can help you rule out any potential allergies in your diet or to the products you use at home.

Also, according to The American Academy of Oral Medicine, keeping track of when you get canker sores can really help you determine if any particular foods or activities are triggers for you.

Next, managing your stress levels and taking a good quality multi-vitamin with a meal each day may prevent canker sores from developing. Keep in mind that you may only be able to reduce outbreaks, if not eradicate them entirely!

What Can You Do To Heal Canker Sores Faster?

If you’re currently dealing with an outbreak, here are some great ideas from a Framingham dentist to help

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Top Ten Tips for Cleaning Your Braces Like a Pro

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Keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces!

When you have braces, food has more places to hide in your mouth, so diligent cleaning is more important than ever in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discoloured teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during the course of your braces, you’ll experience better results and shorter treatment time. Keep plaque at bay with these top ten tips:

1. Clean one tooth at a time.

When you brush, take time with each individual tooth – at least 10 seconds each – and pay careful attention to the spots where your teeth touch your braces.

2. It’s all about angles.

Brush the tops of your teeth and braces with your brush angled down toward where they meet. Brush the bottoms of your teeth and braces with your brush angled up.

3. The tooth, the whole tooth, nothing but the tooth.

While the front surface of your teeth may seem like the most logical to clean, it’s equally important to clean the inner surface of your teeth (tongue side) as well as the chewing surface. And be sure to clean along your gum line – a key spot for plaque buildup.

4. Find the right floss for your teeth.

Regular floss works for some patients, but others find it easier to work with a floss threader, which helps you get the floss into tight places. Other patients like an all-in-one product called Superfloss, which comes with a stiff end for easy threading, a spongy section for cleaning wide spaces, and regular floss for narrow spaces.

5. Eat, then clean.

While you’re in treatment, it’s important to brush after every meal. Bits of food can easily get caught between braces and teeth, and these food bits interact

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