Day 38. Dental Care and Ulcers

When my mouth first exploded with canker sores I was at a complete loss. I feel like I need to explain again; these aren't cold sores (herpes) like some people get on the outside of your mouth, in the corners of your lips and such. These are actual chronic ulcers (Aphthous stomatitis), similar to you can get on your stomach lining or even your skin, but canker sores are ulcers inside your mouth and it's normal for everyone to get one from time to time. Sometimes you can get one if you bite your cheek or if you are overly sensitive to acid foods. In my case the blood vessels in my mouth are bursting because they are inflamed which causes trauma and results in an ulcer.

I can't eat or even brush my teeth when my ulcers are really bad. I discovered over time that normal toothpaste was not going to work for me anymore. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or SLS is the ingredient in most tooth paste to help clean your teeth. It is an irritant and can actually cause canker sores for some normal healthy people. For people with Behcet's it's just painful and unnecessary. So I have used Biotene Dry Mouth for almost 3 years. It is directed towards people who have "dry mouth" (which I don't) but it's SLS free, low foaming and doesn't have that insane mint flavor that will send you through the roof if you have 20 ulcers in your mouth. I also haven't had any cavities since I started using this toothpaste.

I also highly recommend an electric toothbrush. This saved me from a lot of pain. Maneuvering a normal toothbrush around your mouth can be really painful. Having an electric one so you can just hold it in place while just the bristles move is really amazing and makes a huge difference.

Yesterday was the first time I went to the dentist and didn't have a mouth full of canker sores in a long time. It was really nice. When I have canker sores and need to go to the dentist I use my prescription Lidocaine. It's the same stuff the dentist uses to numb your gums before he gives you a shot. If you don't have any at home, ask your dentist to apply theirs to your sores before they start your cleaning. It's not very long lasting so you may need to have them do it again if they're going to be in your mouth for awhile. I also used this a lot when I needed to eat. Careful though, it works well and you can bite your tongue or cheek by accident.