Found in the mouths of millions, canker sores defy common wisdom and medical expertise. There have been many trials and each appears to have uncovered a bit more of the puzzle behind these white or reddish appearing ulcerations. But, overall there is not much of a consensus as to what causes the sores and what might help to prevent them. Thus far, it is thought acidic foods may either aggravate the sores or hasten their onset. In other cases it is the lack of consistent oral hygiene cited as a major reason for the soft tissues of the mouth forming such ulcerations.
Amazingly, there is now another school of thought stating a suds causing agent in commercial toothpaste actually contributes to canker sore formation. Everyone who faithfully has been brushing, flossing and rinsing in the hopes of avoiding the dreaded mouth sores might unwittingly have paved the way for them! The culprit most often cited is sodium lauryl sulfate (often abbreviated on labels as SLS). It is little more than a chemical used to give the appearance of bubbles and suds forming during the brushing process.
With respect to dental health and oral hygiene, SLS has little to no effect. It is therefore not a crucial component of adequate brushing. Furthermore, SLS is actually listed as a chemical irritant. It is known to attack soft tissues, which are present in the mouth area. Fortunately there are a lot of natural toothpastes currently on the market, free from SLS.
Granted, there is no guarantee brushing with an SLS containing paste is going to cause canker sores in your mouth. On the other hand, failure to avoid SLS in your oral hygiene products when you suffer from canker sores repeatedly may actually make you miss out on the simple solution to the problem. If you are one of the individuals who are more sensitive to the caustic workings of SLS than others, you should take action. The presence of the substance in your toothpaste (combined with the sometimes overly vigorous brushing) might result in microscopically small injuries to the gum tissues. This could lead to painful canker sores.
