Aphthous stomatitis

Mouth sores usually go away in 10 to 14 days, even if you don't do anything. They sometimes last up to 6 weeks. The following steps can make you feel better:

• Avoid hot beverages and foods, spicy and salty foods, and citrus.
• Gargle with cool water or eat popsicles. This is helpful if you have a mouth burn.
• Take pain relievers like acetaminophen.

For canker sores:

• Rinse with salt water.
• Apply a thin paste of baking soda and water.
• Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 1 part water and apply this mixture to the sores using a cotton swab.
• For more severe cases, treatments include fluocinonide gel (Lidex), anti-inflammatory amlexanox paste (Aphthasol), or chlorhexidine gluconate (Peridex) mouthwash.

Nonprescription medications, such as Orabase, can protect a sore inside the lip and on the gums. Blistex or Campho-Phenique may provide some relief of canker sores and fever blisters, especially if applied when the sore first appears.

To help cold sores or fever blisters, you can also apply ice to the sore.

Your doctor may recommend antiviral medications for herpes sores of the mouth. Some experts believe they make the blisters go away sooner, while others claim that these drugs make no difference.

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Mouth sores

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease

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Review Date: 11/14/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)