As people who get canker sores know, they can be very painful and bothersome. Here are some quick facts: 

• Canker sores are most common in childhood and adolescence, affecting over one-third of school-aged children.
• Canker sores can be brought on by stress, changes in hormones, certain foods or medications or by injury to the inside of the mouth such as splayed bristles from an old toothbrush. 
• If you wear dentures, make sure that they fit properly. Dentures that don’t fit properly may increase the risk of canker sores.

Your Rexall Pharmacist can provide you with recommendations to help relieve the pain. For example, use of a saltwater rinse consisting of ½ to 1 teaspoonful of salt in 1 cup of warm water can help soothe canker sore pain. In addition, avoiding sharp, hard, or crusty foods and avoiding foods that are spicy or acidic will help you to reduce the irritation and pain of canker sores.

Creams and pastes with medicinal ingredients such as topical numbing agents (anesthetics), topical anti-inflammatories, and protectants can help relieve the pain of canker sores and help to speed the healing of canker sores. Your Rexall Pharmacist can assess your symptoms and ask about any medical conditions you might have and the medications that you are taking. After discussing your options, your pharmacist will discuss general measures to help relieve the discomfort caused by your canker sores and may prescribe an appropriate medication according to your circumstances, if warranted. Although topical medicines used for the treatment of canker sores are very safe, be sure to call your Rexall Pharmacist if you have any side effects or if your canker sores are not gone within 10 days after they were first noticed.