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hex4def6yesterday at 9:21 PM2 repliesview on HN

Bit off topic, but if you suffer from canker sores, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) is a known contributor to that in some people (me included).

It's a bit hard to find toothpastes without it that aren't also fluoride free, but they exist.


Replies

spidersourisyesterday at 9:42 PM

On the same topic, it's been a while since I have tried to find the best product to treat canker sores, but I have never found anything better than solutions composed of carboxylic/mineral acid and alcohol, and even then, it hardly suppresses the pain and I have found the treatment time to be about the same whether I apply something or not. The dream would be to have something that make them disappear near instantly.

jvogtyesterday at 10:46 PM

tl;dr: ibuprofen may be a cause as well.

I suffered from incredibly painful month+ long lasting chronic canker sores (technically apthous ulcers) for the first 3 decades of my life.

Doctors and dentists suggested all the usual triggers (avoid SLS, supplement with B vitamins, etc)

Then one day someone mentioned the connection of NSAIDs and ulcers, and I instantly realized mouth ulcers are.. ulcers...

I used to use ibuprofen occasionally, often enough to not correlate it to canker sores. Of course then I’d use more ibuprofen for that pain, get more canker sores, and be miserable for months.

Haven’t bought ibuprofen for 10 years now and they just stopped. I have used ibuprofen on a couple occasions since I learned this and both times I developed a canker sore. IANAD, YMMV, I’m just happy they’re gone