Canker Sores

[LibertariaNate]

I'm not really sure where to post this, so I apologize in advance if this isn't the best place. Since it isn't really a health concern about eCigs and since I'm still "new" I figured this forum was as good a place as any. mods, please move this if you feel so compelled.

For the longest time I have suffered from canker sores. I don't use "suffered" lightly. In my case it was an ongoing issue for me. One would form, sometimes grow to the size of a dime, and by the time it had started to heal, a new one would form. Anywhere in my mouth was fair game, but where the cheek meets the gum line seemed to be a favorite location. For those who have dealt with them, I am sure you can relate to just how painful these things can be. I tried various OTC gels, pastes, mouthwashes, etc, that did little to relieve the pain. I tried various natural remedies (tea tree oil, lysine, multivitamin), avoided acidic and spicy foods, brushed my teeth at least five times per day, yadda yadda yadda...

Then I started smoking.

After a couple of weeks of smoking, no more cankers. In the eight or so years that I smoked, not a single canker sore. Not one! I have no idea why or what, but something in the smoke prevented them from forming.

It will be two weeks since my last cigarette on Thursday.

This morning I noticed an almost forgotten pain along the gum line.

Sure enough, another canker. I'm really not looking forward to dealing with this again. At this point I'm willing to try anything (except smoking). I've spoken with several doctors and dentists, but nothing has come of it. I want to STOP them from forming, not deal with them after the fact.

Any thoughts/helpful tips would be MUCH appreciated.

 

[dormouse]

What level nicotine are you using and what PG/VG? Nicotine is a skin irritant. medium or high nicotine in 100% PG liquid can irritate gums, mouth, throat or even lungs. Having some VG in the juice (like try 70pg/30vg juices) can help prevent irritation.

Here is the Health section of ECF. Check the sticky guide for any other ideas.
Health, Safety and E-Smoking

 

[LibertariaNate]

What level nicotine are you using and what PG/VG? Nicotine is a skin irritant. medium or high nicotine in 100% PG liquid can irritate gums, mouth, throat or even lungs. Having some VG in the juice (like try 70pg/30vg juices) can help prevent irritation.

Here is the Health section of ECF. Check the sticky guide for any other ideas.
Health, Safety and E-Smoking

dormouse,

I appreciate the response, but this was more of a general query. I had canker sores before I started smoking. They disappeared while I was smoking, and have now returned since I quit. I don't believe it has anything to do with the nicotine or vaping.

 

[AlmightyGod]

I would recommend seeing your dentist, above all other advice.

Another thing I can recommend is using Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste.
Biotene is relatively new on the market and contains 7 natural enzymes.
It is commonly used by people who have tongue or lip piercings or dry mouth issues.

Lastly, I would say you should increase your fluid intake.
Canker sores are closely associated with dehydration, among many other causes.

 

[Lambch3p]

That has gotta suck getting canker sores. Try the amino acid Lysine. It is an natural anti-viral that kills the virus that causes the sores. You can find tit at health food stores.

 

[sam.8]

Wow, that's interesting, but sounds painful. Seems that from what you're saying you've tried all the conventional treatments (lysine, tea tree etc). Interesting that something in the smoking prevented them.... very strange.

Given it's only been two weeks, maybe they'll go away....and due to detoxing from cigarettes, but in your case it almost sounds like the reverse.

Maybe just keep checking online for some sort of cure that has worked for other people and you'll get lucky. I agree, it's not a reason to start smoking again, but it's got to be very frustrating

 

[JollyRogers]

To the OP - I feel your pain. I smoked since I was 13 (I am 44 now) I never had a canker sore. Hecl, I didn't even know what one was. Since vaping I have had two. One was pretty bad. I used hydrogen peroxide and put it on the sore with a q-tip. It cleared up quickly once I started doing this. Since then, I am pretty adamant about washing my carts and drip tips. I also have started using Biotene mouthwash. It now has been a few months since I have had one. Best of luck... Suggest maybe talking to your Doctor also.

 

[LibertariaNate]

I would recommend seeing your dentist, above all other advice.

Another thing I can recommend is using Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste.
Biotene is relatively new on the market and contains 7 natural enzymes.
It is commonly used by people who have tongue or lip piercings or dry mouth issues.

Lastly, I would say you should increase your fluid intake.
Canker sores are closely associated with dehydration, among many other causes.

I haven't spoken to my current dentist about it. Of course, I had been smoking up until recently, so no canker sores to bring up with him. I will definitely give him a call and ask him, but my previous interactions with dentists on the subject always ended with them recommending Orajel or some other "caine" product... Basically dealing with a symptom and not the cause.

I'm curious what is in tobacco smoke that prevents them from forming. For giggles, I'm going to try steeping (half a cig worth) some of my leftover tobacco in some water and using it as a mouthwash.

 

[dormouse]

If smoking stopped your canker sores then maybe one of the 4000 chemicals in cigarettes is responsible. That link I gave includes (and in fact mostly is) Symptoms of Quitting Smoking so perhaps you could actually look at it. Cigarettes contain many chemicals including MAOIs and I don't know what else. It is possible the lack of one of the chemicals brought back your problem?

On the other hand, many people have gotten mouth/gum sores from nicotine in high PG when they started vaping.

And I have gotten blisters on my tongue and gums from some particularly hot cartos spitting superhot eliquid into my mouth (before I learned to really clean up cartos before vaping)

 

[LibertariaNate]

I apologize. I didn't see the link when I first read your post.

It's nice to see I'm not the only one with the problem. Strike that... I wouldn't wish these on my worst enemy.

Here's to hoping it's only temporary! Knowing my track record though I have a feeling that isn't likely.

Thanks for the link.

 

[wv2win]

What level nicotine are you using and what PG/VG? Nicotine is a skin irritant. medium or high nicotine in 100% PG liquid can irritate gums, mouth, throat or even lungs. Having some VG in the juice (like try 70pg/30vg juices) can help prevent irritation.

Here is the Health section of ECF. Check the sticky guide for any other ideas.
Health, Safety and E-Smoking

Since smoking made the sores go away, why would you think that nicotine is the problem???? And it's obviously not a PG/VG thing since it was a problem way before the OP was vaping.

I also get them occassionally. Sometimes I think they are due to some of the flavorings used in certain eliquids but that obviously doesn't help you. I guess I would do online research and also try to find a specialist, maybe an Ear, Nose, Throat doctor.

Note: there is an oral mouth cleanser that someone here on ECF suggested that might be helpful. It's called Colgate Peroxyl. I believe it helped clear up a sore I had and can possibly prevent them to a degree. It might be worth a try. I got it at Walgreens.

 

[dormouse]

WV2Win - because many people find vaping makes their gums bleed or gives them more sores or soreness when their cigs did not. I am not a chemist. I don't know why nicotine in PG vapor would be more irritating than nicotine in smoke but apparently it is since many people have similar problems.


And for the OP - Occasionally someone is actually allergic to PG or less often VG. And some fruit-type flavorings may have citric acid or something similar (especially any kind or citrus or fruit flavoring) and that may be a problem too. If you are vaping fruit flavors you could try something different like vanillas, chocolates, caramels. And Cinnamon flavorings have been known to cause irritation or sores in some people.

 

[LibertariaNate]

And for the OP - Occasionally someone is actually allergic to PG or less often VG. And some fruit-type flavorings may have citric acid or something similar (especially any kind or citrus or fruit flavoring) and that may be a problem too. If you are vaping fruit flavors you could try something different like vanillas, chocolates, caramels. And Cinnamon flavorings have been known to cause irritation or sores in some people.

I'm still in my vaping mostly tobacco flavor stage. Occasionally I will vape a licorice or gingerbread juice. I took a look at your link and saw the bit about cinnamon being an issue for some people. That will be easy to avoid as I have a general disdain for the spice. Too much like cloves... Smoked too many of those absolutely horrid Djarum (sp?) clove cigs... I shudder and grow nauseous at the thought of them...

 

[LibertariaNate]

...I guess I would do online research and also try to find a specialist, maybe an Ear, Nose, Throat doctor.

Note: there is an oral mouth cleanser that someone here on ECF suggested that might be helpful. It's called Colgate Peroxyl. I believe it helped clear up a sore I had and can possibly prevent them to a degree. It might be worth a try. I got it at Walgreens.

Thanks for the tip. I'll look for it when I'm there picking up some other things I need.

 

[Rosco]

My cousin had this same problem. What worked for her was TeaTree Oil(Essential Oil) and also "Mercurius Sol". It is commonly referred to as "Merc Sol". Google it and find lots of homeopathic info. She swears by it.
I'm told they can be excruciatingly painful.
Good luck....

 

[4mehealth]

The only thing I can think of is switching your toothpaste. Make sure whatever you're using doesn't contain ska (sodium laurel sulfate - sp). That ingredient has been associated with canker sores.

 

[classwife]

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...hen-quitting-tobacco-changing-ecigarette.html

Hopefully it is just from quitting and not a recurrance of your prior troubles ! (ouch !)

 

[wv2win]

WV2Win - because many people find vaping makes their gums bleed or gives them more sores or soreness when their cigs did not. I am not a chemist. I don't know why nicotine in PG vapor would be more irritating than nicotine in smoke but apparently it is since many people have similar problems.


And for the OP - Occasionally someone is actually allergic to PG or less often VG. And some fruit-type flavorings may have citric acid or something similar (especially any kind or citrus or fruit flavoring) and that may be a problem too. If you are vaping fruit flavors you could try something different like vanillas, chocolates, caramels. And Cinnamon flavorings have been known to cause irritation or sores in some people.

Since the OP had the sores BEFORE he started vaping and they disappeared when he smoked, I don't see any relation to vaping. I also don't think we have any evidence that nicotine is the problem when people have allergic reactions to PG or VG. I don't think the nicotine is the issue in any of these cases but rather just the PG or VG or the ingredients used for flavorings.

 

[dormouse]

Google search to bring up previous canker sore threads on this forum (search for this in Google):

site:e-cigarette-forum.com canker

There are a bunch of threads.

 

[NicLiq]

According to my immunologist: Smoking suppresses the immune system. When you quit smoking, your immune system can over-react by sending autoantibodies out to attack tissue. Hopefully your body will learn to correct itself, but it's possible that your mouth will be more sensitive to changes now (including foods, toothpastes, etc.).