canker sore medicine

Canker sore medicines are available as gels, creams, liquids, mouth rinses, balms, and patch-style bandages.

Label guidance varies: some products list 18 years and older, others 12 years and older, and at least one mouth rinse lists use starting at 2 years.

The docosanol cream directions state to apply up to five times a day until fully healed, for a maximum of 10 days.

A mouth sore rinse in the set is described as being used up to 4 times a day (for example, after meals) and is said to help kill bacteria, promote healing and provide temporary pain relief.

Package sizes vary widely: small topical tubes (examples include 0.07 oz, 0.14 oz, 0.25 oz, 0.42 oz, 0.5 oz), multi-count packs, a patch listing at 1.4 ounces, and a larger 16.0-ounce mouth rinse.

These products target canker sores, cold sores/fever blisters, gum irritation, cheek bites, rubbing from dentures or braces, and other minor mouth irritations.