Canker Sores and an Insurance Question

BrotherVoodoo

So I have 4 sores on the right side of my cheek on the inside. It's the side I chew the most. I didn't used to get these at all, but I haven't been to a dentist in close to 18 months which is a lot longer than usual for me. Could this be a problem?

Additionally I chew about 3 pieces of gum a day, and used to eat a lot of citrus but have been cutting down since I heard that was a problem. I drink a can or two of coke zero a day. Not sure why I started getting these recently after being fine with the relatively same diet. I also brush twice a day and recently started using mouthwash again.

I'm just trying to figure out what's wrong and how to stop it.

2nd Question:
If I go to the dentist without insurance and pay money to get my teeth cleaned and they find a problem, and later I get insurance (either from my job or making enough to buy it myself) Will I be able to use insurance on that problem or will I have to pay for it out of pocket since they found it before I got insurance?

Thylacine

Canker sores can flare up for a lot of reasons. From what the dentist told me, in a quick and dirty explanation, is that they are a virus that lives in your nerve. They come back for me most often when I am really stressed out. Also, they typically come back in the same places they were bad before.

My recommendation is get some numbing medicine for them, and just leave them alone as much as possible until they heal. It's not what you WANT to hear, because it's really boring *DUH!* advice...but hey, it's what I paid a dentist a bunch of money to hear. I have one that always comes back that's on a nerve ending that happens to make my teeth hurt even though it's not on my teeth. It sucks. When you notice them starting, do your best to not aggravate them by chewing on them or eating spicy foods or things like that and they typically won't get as bad.

Mr Blonde

My cankers seem to last forever if I do nothing. I found it is much quicker to kill them with fire (apply rubbing alcohol on a qtip - dry the sore with the other end then lightly press on the sore with the alcohol end). It burns like hell for the first 10 seconds, but after that it is numb and they seem to die off in the next day or two.

As for your 2nd question, call your dentist and ask what would happen. Would any issues found during a checkup and be sent to an insurance company as a pre-existing condition? Just ask them.

matt has a problem

You can also swish with Listerine to speed up recovery, it burns like hell but they stop hurting within a day or two. And it tastes better than straight alcohol at least.

Some dental insurance plans do cover preexisting conditions, and others don't. It just depends on the plan.

Midshipman

Canker sores are basically ulcers the live in your mouth instead of your stomach. They are bacterial in nature and tend to be instigated by stress, poor diet, or general weakness in the immune system. You can buy over the counter antiseptics that also numb the area or you can use sodium bicarbonate based ear drops (think baking soda in liquid form) to provide temporary relief while you wait from them to heal.

corcorigan

Thylacine wrote: »

Canker sores can flare up for a lot of reasons. From what the dentist told me, in a quick and dirty explanation, is that they are a virus that lives in your nerve. They come back for me most often when I am really stressed out. Also, they typically come back in the same places they were bad before.

I think you mean cold-sores there. Caused by a herpes virus (that does indeed hang out in your nerves until it flares up when you're stressed or old or whatever).

Canker sores are mouth ulcers. You can buy local anaesthetics or steroid gels which should numb the pain or speed up healing respectively. I'm not too sure about the bacteria thing mentioned above.

Improvolone

I've had great luck using Kanka. Tastes like crap, but it numbs the pain and creates a nice healing film over the sore.

UndefinedMonkey

Improvolone wrote: »

I've had great luck using Kanka. Tastes like crap, but it numbs the pain and creates a nice healing film over the sore.

I used to get these all the time back when I drank pop regularly. Regular Novocaine gels just kill the pain for a few minutes; after the effect wears off, the pain comes back with a vengeance. Kanka is the only thing that works for me. It numbs the area just enough to keep the pain manageable, keeps other irritants out, and allows the area to heal. Also, lay off of acidic foods until things heal: no pop, no tomatoes, no hot food, etc...

Note that Novocaine-based gels like Kanka should be used carefully: because you're effectively numbing an area of your mouth, it's easy to accidentally bite down on or gnaw on your tongue or cheek without getting a pain message from those nerves. Also, avoid swallowing any of the gel to keep from numbing your throat (being unable to feel things happen in your throat makes it easier to choke on things,) Don't freak out, just use common sense, apply the product in moderation as directed, and be extra aware of where your tongue is when you bite/chew things.

Gabriel_Pitt

A folk remedy I heard that always works within a day for me is to split open a raisin and rub it on the canker sore. I forget what chemicals in the raisin are doing what, but like I said, it's always rid me of them right quick.

Arch Guru XX

I don't get these often, but something that works for me is to put salt on the sore. I typically just lick a fingertip, pour some salt on it, then open my mouth and apply. It stings like a bitch for a few seconds, but the pain goes away quickly, and so does the sore (I did this to a sore on Friday afternoon; I wasn't noticing it at all by noon on Saturday).

I don't really know why it works, I'd guess the salt helps to absorb some of the crap in the sore so it can heal easier. Anyway it works for me, and it's pretty easy to find salt.

Shadowfire

Alcohol based mouthwash tends to make my canker sores go away, but also causes more of them to form. It also hurts like a bitch.

I've found rinsing with hydrogen peroxide to work better. Just don't swallow it. :P

Peter Principle

I get canker sores when I drink too much soda or coffee, or eat too much chocolate or candy, and then I somehow injure the inside of my mouth (biting my cheek, mashing my lips up against my teeth, scraping my gum with a finger nail, etc.). Rinsing regularly with antiseptic mouthwash and being careful not to further abrade the sore when brushing my teeth helps them go away faster. Taking lysine supplements also seems to help, in keeping them away if I overdo it on the bad foods and in making them go away faster when I get them.

Canker sores truly are an obnoxious pain. I have often wished that I could punch those stupid viruses in the groin.

Enc

Shadowfire wrote: »

Alcohol based mouthwash tends to make my canker sores go away, but also causes more of them to form. It also hurts like a bitch.

I've found rinsing with hydrogen peroxide to work better. Just don't swallow it. :P

Most over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide solutions are not suitable for ingestion or mouth cleansing. I would not do this whatsoever without a Doctor's (a real doctor) recommending you a specific Hydrogen peroxide product.

Seriously, while it works, it's not a good call. Too many opportunities for it to go horribly wrong compared to safer products.

meeker

Have a look in your mother's spice cabinet for Alum or Soda Alum. This dries it up and numbs the pain instantly. Twice a day for two days and it goes away.

Fuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud

Gargle with warm saltwater twice daily.