Tips for Treating Mouth Sores

Mouth sore tips. Yeah, that's the cue for my friends to head over to cnn.com and check today's headlines.

This post is for anyone who is dealing with mouth and/or lip lesions. Just a few ideas we tried personally and things that worked and didn't, so I can help someone else who is dealing with this.

(See? This blog isn't just for random musings and questionable movie quotes.)

OK. Where are my mouth sore peeps! You should check with your own doctor on anything you want to try. These are just possibilities and won't be appropriate for everyone.

1. The soothing power of... tea? Lauren can't even sip water without excruciating pain, BUT she can sip Luzianne decaf tea, which she finds surprisingly helpful. She had mentioned that people use teabags on their eyes to reduce swelling. Google says teabags are helpful for cold sores. Who knew? The bags were irritating to her lips, but sipping the tea is good for keeping her mouth moist and soothing the sores. Regular Lipton here at the hospital stung, so it's either the brand or the decaf that makes the difference. Yes, we are brewing tea at home and bringing it here. It is the only thing she is putting in her mouth at this point.

2. Don't swallow Magic Mouthwash. Some are OK to swallow, but Lauren's combination was Benadryl, Maalox and Lidocaine. One time she swallowed just a teeny bit, and it made her so nauseous that now she can't be within ten feet of it without gagging. Major problem, because Magic Mouthwash was the only thing that even temporarily helped her pain when we were at home. So ask for it and use it; just be careful not to swallow any if it's not ok to do so.

3. Invest in a Boo Boo Buddy. This $4 Godsend is available at Target and other fine retail venues. It's a small, like 3" square gel pack that you are supposed to put in the freezer for bumps and bruises on small children. It is the perfect size to apply to your lips, whereas others are waaay too big. We find that putting it in the fridge (or the freezer for about 10 minutes) makes it just the right temperature to apply directly. Best part is that it doesn't stick to wounds, because it is slick on the outside. At the hospital, we are keeping it in a bowl of ice.

4. Vaseline - it's not just for rectal thermometers anymore. The ER was applying KY to Lauren's lips, because it was water-based (and they didn't have petroleum jelly- so weird), but it gets really sticky after a time in air. Vaseline is amazing at keeping the wounds moist and protected.

5. And finally... foot rubs. Anything can be made better with a quality foot massage. I recommend it for whatever ails you. :)