For a long time, I've been subject to getting nasty sores on the insides of my lips, which can make playing very difficult and extremely painful. I thought for a while that I just bit at my lips in my sleep, but when I got my wisdom teeth extracted my oral surgeon mentioned that they might be a type of ulcer. Either way, they're a major pain in the butt and I was wondering if anyone knew any sorts of remedies, home or otherwise, to help with these types of sores, because it gets in the way of my playing and as a music major, it's extremely inconvenient. Thanks!

Sounds nasty. I gargle with salt water if I ever get a cold sore in a bad spot. Maybe a mental thing but it seems to speed up the healing process.

If your teeth/lips are a pain in the butt, there are some body use issues that we should talk about.....

Seriously, I also use salt water. You do need to check if you are damaging the lips by using too much force however. A dentist can see if there are some sharp edges on the teeth that could be polished.

Rowuk,

I've thought about it being my teeth, but I these tend to pop up in my sleep, even after days of light playing or a day I rest on for whatever reason... I may see if my teeth are catching my lips at night due to sharp edges. I never thought of getting them polished down. And I'll try doing salt water... I hate it lol I remember that's what they always told me to do when I had braces. I just let my chops get torn up and scarred up. Made them tougher in the end but I still get these random stupid sores out of nowhere every so often.

They could well be ulsars, as said by you dentist, so you might as well play it safe, and eat your 5 a day! (if you don't have that in America, it's a campaign run by the british national health service, trying to get people to eat more fruit! 5 a day in fact!

If you have access to health care, see about getting some blood tests for your white-blood count. Maybe there is a systemic infection at work. Nasty idea, but worth checking.

Good luck!

Today it´s common knowledge that gastric ulcers
are caused by bacteria of a certain kind. I don´t
know whether ulcers in the mouth is of any related
kind, but I would certainly let a physician take a
look at it. After all, this may not be within the field
of competence that a dentist has . . .

Originally Posted by Sofus

Today it´s common knowledge that gastric ulcers
are caused by bacteria of a certain kind. I don´t
know whether ulcers in the mouth is of any related
kind, but I would certainly let a physician take a
look at it. After all, this may not be within the field
of competence that a dentist has . . .

First of all, it was my oral surgeon, not my dentist, so this guy knows the mouth inside and out. Second, I've heard the same thing from doctors on a number of occasions as well that it's either an ulcer of some kind or canker sores or that I just bite my lips. I got a hold of a medication for them, so we'll see if it helps at all... fingers crossed.

my oral surgeon mentioned

My mistake, Mary Kate! Sorry!

We´ll all cross our fingers for you!!

Originally Posted by Sofus

My mistake, Mary Kate! Sorry!

We´ll all cross our fingers for you!!

No worries :) And thanks. I hate these stupid things... It would be oh so convenient as a trumpet player and really just as a human being if they would just disappear... no such luck so far