The best prescription to reduce canker sore swelling
Triamcinolone Acetonide, also marketed as Kenalog in Orabase, is a prescription corticosteroid paste used for the treatment of mouth ulcers and canker sores. As a lifelong canker sore sufferer, I was prescribed TA via a dentist several years ago and have been using it since that time.
Bottom line: It helps reduce the swelling and pain of canker sores, but not the length of the sores.
I generally use TA at night when I go to bed. I don’t use it as much during the day because for one thing, I find it doesn’t stay on the sore very well when you’re eating and talking throughout the day, and because it doesn’t do anything to numb the pain. However, when used at night, I’ve found that the inflammation is significantly less the next morning, whereas it seems to be worse without any medicine. The swelling does eventually come back through the next day with the regular irritation and the medicine wearing off.
Triamcinolone Acetonide actually is offered in various forms, generally as a topical cream for skin conditions including eczema. The power of the paste used differs with respect to the prescription, however, for oral use, it is usually only .1%. So obviously, pretty strong stuff. It’s not advised to use over 4 times each day, even though as mentioned before, it has a tendency to wear off pretty rapidly. Some side effects, for example burning and in very rare cases, blistering, are reported, so look out for that if it’s the first time you’ve used it.
In my opinion, the inflammation from canker sores and mouth ulcers is the primary source of pain. The swollen tissue is more likely to become irritated, which only enhances the pain and the length of the sore. But if you can keep the inflammation down, the pain is significantly less. This may be the biggest benefit from using TA. Even so, TA will not reduce pain like products like Orabase or Zilactin, because there are no pain killers like benzocaine to numb the location. Actually, I’ve even put Orabase on there before using TA if it’s an absolute killer ulcer, just so it doesn’t hurt as much when I go to sleep.
I highly recommend Triamcinolone Acetonide to anybody who hasn’t ever done it. The difference in swelling, especially in the morning, is amazingly beneficial and worth the extra cost. Give your dentist a call and ask for a prescription, it’ll make your canker sores much more manageable.
If you suffer from recurring canker sores, or Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis, find out more information about the condition and ways to cure it at Cankerboy.com.