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- $Unique_ID{BRK01070}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{The Readers Speak: Canker Sores}
- $Subject{canker sores sore infection infections mouth treatments treatment
- dentists dentist}
- $Volume{A-11}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- THE READERS SPEAK: Canker Sores
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The mail commenting on a recent answer dealing with canker sores in the
- mouth was both voluminous and varied. As usual a number of possible
- treatments were proposed, all based upon personal experiences that were
- successful. Although research in the medical literature was unfruitful in
- substantiating some of the claims, they were interesting enough to pass on to
- you for your information but certainly without my personal endorsement. Way
- out front in the number of positive comments was L-Lysine, an amino acid sold
- in tablet form in health food stores and also through some pharmacies. The
- dosages taken ranged from 1 to 3 capsules or tablets a day to two 500 mg
- tablets every 4 hours. One reader (M.J.Y.) suggests touching the canker sore
- with milk of magnesia, while M.M. assures me that Gleem toothpaste is the
- answer. One recommendation to use "alum" ("a pickle spice found in your
- grocery store") lost my interest when it was described as painful with a bad
- acid taste, but might not be much worse than the silver nitrate sticks some
- physicians use as treatment. To me the most interesting came from Richard
- Chace Jr., D.M.D., who prefers a chlorhexidine mouth wash (Peridex) as being
- effective even against cankers provoked by viruses. His admonition that
- dentists see more of these cases in a month than most physicians do in a
- lifetime is well taken. His opinion that "dentists are frankly much better
- trained to deal with them" certainly makes sense, and then his case for
- collaboration between dentist and physician hits the center of the mark. I'll
- remember that in future circumstances when dealing with oral conditions in
- this column.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-