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- Most people have experienced the pain of having a mouth sore. It may be insignificant to the naked eye, but the discomfort and difficulty of eating can be serious.
12 Tips To Manage Mouth Sores
A mouth sore, commonly called a canker sore, is a tiny and external lesion that grows on the soft tissues at the base of your gums or in the soft tissues in your mouth. Although they aren't contagious, unlike a cold sore, they can still cause aches and discomfort.
Healing days can vary from one person to another. However, it can affect you for 7 to 10 days. Minor ones can take 7 to 21 days to heal, but the major ones can heal entirely in more or less than 40 days. There are things you can do to hasten it to heal like using devices from shops like Luminance RED.
Because of the pain accompanying mouth sores, you can also manage it through your food intake and nutrition practices. These will help with the discomfort as you try to get treatments for your mouth sores.
If you're going through a painful mouth sore or want to prevent having one, check out the 12 food and nutrition tips to manage mouth sores.
Managing Mouth Sores
1. Eat Soft Food
Remember that softer food is more manageable to swallow. Good breakfast options would be oatmeal, pancakes, and cold cereals, as they have been softened with milk. If you seek to have soups and stews with meat, ensure that it’s soft and tender.
2. Soak Your Food
As mentioned above, soft food is the most ideal when you have a mouth sore. It'd best help to eat pasta with creamy sauce so it's tender and easier to swallow. Rice meals are better when you soak with some soup. You can also soak your toast in egg yolk to be less irritating to your mouth sore.
3. Cut Your Food Into Smaller Pieces
Remember that when you have a mouth sore, you might not be able to open your mouth as widely as you normally would. That's why cutting your food into small pieces would be helpful. Chop your poultry, meat, and fish into sizes that won't need you to widen your mouth too much. Another tip is to mix it with sauces or gravy.
4. Eat Cooked Veggies Instead Of Raw
Remember that you can't compromise your fruit and veggies intake amidst the pain of a mouth sore. Therefore, opt to have cooked vegetables rather than raw ones. You can also make good use of your blender and make smoothies instead.
5. Chilled Food Will Soothe The Sore
Cold food will help relieve the pain and soothe your sore mouth. You can try having chilled flavored gelatines, sherbet, and popsicles to help you numb the pain.
6. Citrusy And Salty Food Can Hurt
If you love oranges and tomatoes, you might want to skip having them when you have a canker sore. Citrusy food like lemon and pickles can hurt. You should also stay away from tart and salty food as these can sting open canker sores.
7. Spicy Food Is A Big No
Another big no when you have a mouth sore is spicy food containing chilis, hot sauces, and curry powders. These can be very irritating to your mouth sore and can cause you pain.
How To Prevent Mouth Sore
Here are some things you can do to prevent mouth sores:
- Try to lessen your highly acidic food intake. Hot food can also wound your mouth, which can be the primary cause of mouth sores.
- Get a good amount of rest and address the sources of your tiredness.
- Manage your stress well. You can do different things like yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation to help you relieve your stress.
- If you're wearing dentures, braces, and other orthodontic devices, make sure they fit well and don't hurt your mouth. Have them checked regularly for a proper fitting.
- Good oral hygiene is advised as mouth sores can also be caused by bacteria and viruses.
Conclusion
Indeed, the pain caused by mouth sores can really be uncomfortable and excruciating. That's why it's good to have ideas on what to eat when you have one to relieve the pain and hasten the healing.
Remember that you need to keep certain things away when you have a canker sore. Food that’s citrusy, spicy, and salty can be irritating to the sore and might cause you pain. Instead, opt to have those that are soft, chewable, and small in size. It's also best to cut your food and soak it in some sauces and soups to soften and make it more manageable to swallow.
Because there are many causes of mouth sores, it's best to do things that might prevent you from having them. Get plenty of rest, and manage your stress well. Good oral hygiene is also a must. If you're wearing defective braces or other orthodontic devices, it's best to get them fixed before they wound your mouth. You can also lessen your intake of highly acidic food and excessively hot food that might hurt your mouth.
