Evening star., 1927-05-19
Sores in the Mouth.

C4nker sores pronounced kankar)
probably occurred long before the in
ventidn of profanity; indeed some
authorities suspect canker sores may
have inspired the man who introduced
gracious and OH my. This is about
the extent of my knowledge OF the
pathology Of canker sores. Now III
add a few conjectures if | may.
fancy these canker sores are produced
by trauma, if YOU know what that
means. The trauma may be from too
vigorous use of toothbrush, frora eS
cidental biting of tongue or cheek
from excessively het or cold foods or
beverages or from some rough or
Jagged tooth or denture. The little
injury having been inflicted, trust
your old tonsils or adenOids or SINUS
or gums to furnish some temporarily
disengaged streptocci that will gladly
attack the injured mucous membrane
and make the little ulcers a complete
success. Really it is very simple.
| may not be so much on the path
olOgy of canker sores, but follow my
treatment and you'll wear smiles.
Once daily just touch each sore with
a mixture of half glycerine and half
tincture of i0din Ton a cotton wrapped
toOthpick1 before an after food, gent
ly rinse the mouth with a comfort
ably warm solution of one teaspoon
fut of bOric acid in one pint of water.
OF course lay off the toothbrush and
the tooth dope while you have canker
sores-in fact. if / dared, Id go even
further than that.
Leukoplakia is the imposing name
we doctors give to white patches in
the mouth caused by tobacco. There
is only one treatment for leukoplakia
discontinue the tobacco. These to-
bacco patches. when neglected, may
eventually become the seat Of epithe-
loima (cancer). Formerly leukoplakia
was often mistaken for syphilitic
LESSONS.
Cancer pronounced kanser) Of lip.
tongue or cheek lining is usually the
least malignant type, epithelioma, per
haps years in developing at the site
of any old or prolonged irritation, as
from neglected rough or broken teeth
or faulty dentures, slight burns from
smoking, the irritation Of an old pipe.
In any case where the least suspicion
Of cancer arises, the teeth should be
thoroughly cleaned by the dentist and
smOOthed: tobacco should be given up
proper medical treatment. Radium or
X.ray treatments will cure epithelioma
if employed before the neighboring
lymph nodes have become involved.
Radical surgical eXcision of the lesion
in lip or tongue and the affected
neighboring lymph nodes is the only
effective treatment for epithelioma
when the disease has been long dallied
with. There's a fool born every min
ute, also a quack to sell the fool a
sure cure for cancer.
Syphilis may produce mouth LESSONS
in any stage. Occasionally the pri-
mary sore (chancre, pronounced chan
kerr occurs on the lip or tongue where
incubation or infection occurs from
kissing or from the use of the syph-
little persons pipe or other saliva
contaminated article, and may be mis-
taken for an obstinate cold sore" In
the second stage of syphilis contagious
sores called mucous patches are COM
mon in the mouth and throat, usually
accompanying some skin rash. In the
late stage of syphilis sometimes A
large ulcer in the mouth follows a
gumma, but often this is little il at
all infectious.