mouth ulcers-no jokes please

[Brit Girl]

Ok heres a strange question and please no jokes I have had all those at work! I am still taking my lessons and last week I was underwater for about 40 minutes in total. AS i was getting changed I noticed that my mouth was tingling in the way it does before I get ulcers and this was not there before. Could the fact that I had the reg in my mouth for all this time have caused this? I know that I am prone to ulcers and must have sensisitive gums as I always get them after I have been to the dentist. If I use mouthwashes etc might this help?

 

[Bob]

Brit Girl,
Are you using dive shop regs? This could be the cause of the problem, especially if the the mouthpieces aren't disinfected each time they are used. You should ask your dive shop operator if the mouthpieces are sanitized after every session.:tree:Bob

 

[SubMariner]

Personally, I don't see any reason for alarm if you didn't have any actual physical problems develop, or if the feeling did not persist.

Just my $.02's worth,

~SubMariner~

 

[Scottri]

I've never know anyone to have a problem like that but it may be that you have a problem with the mouthpiece. I would try a few different styles. I dive with a Sea Cure mouth piece that is custom fit. Maybe the over the counter ones are just rubbing your gums the wrong way causing irritation. You may also try dipping the mouth piece in an anti bacterial mouth wash before you dive.


Scott

 

[rebelrph]

I have a couple of suggestions that have worked well in the past. Sometimes people with sensitive gums and/or prone to ulcers have a vitamin deficiency or the like. I have had good results with taking additional vit. B (a good B complex will do nicely) also adding Lysine, an amino acid,
can prevent mouth ulcers. For each of these take 1 tablet daily as a preventative. It may not help , but is certainly won't hurt.

Good dental hygeine can also help. Brushing AND FLOSSING every day can increase blood flow to the gums and make them healthier and more resistant to irritation.

These are the U.S. names for these products I assume there are similar products available to you.

I hope this helps,

Todd

 

[Bob3]

I get the same tingly sensation from rubber mouthpieces; I have no problem with silicone.

Might want to try a mouthpiece made out of a different material than the one making mischief for you.

 

[bcfrench]

In fact, I had one last week while I was diving in Turks and Caicos. It sat right on the corner where my regulator sits. Ouch! But it wasn't from my regulator -- it was from eating fresh pineapple. For some reason I am very sensitive to the acids in fresh pineapple and I can't eat more than a little or it literally burns the inside of my mouth.

There are a lot of theories as to what causes mouth ulcers or canker sores. My personal theory is it's a localized allergic reaction. I know some of the things that cause it for me -- pineapple is one, but believe it or not, mine is caused by an allergy to fluoride. I don't get them if I avoid fluoride toothpaste -- oh, and fresh pineapple, of course.

You may be having a reaction to the rubber itself. I use the SeaCure mouthpiece and I love it. It's a very different material from the rubber regulator mouthpieces. Of course if you are going to use it, you will need to get your own regulator setup, but that's one piece of equipment no diver should be without, IMHO. In your case I would say this is the best first purchase you can make.

...Barb

 

[Norm]

Just to primarily reiterate what some others have said: 1.The length of the dive may have had some bearing on it. (I have made a few dives that were in the 3 - 4 hour range and that definately does something to your mouth!) 2.If it was rental equipment and it had been disinfected, perhaps the disinfectant was something that did agree with you. 3.Some people are allergic to rubber mouthpieces and some folks are actually allergic to some types of silicone. (I have know folks that could use only a gum rubber mouthpiece). Good luck.
JMO
Norm

 

[Ari]

And very happy with the fact.

My personnal experience is that mouth ulcers have some relation to stress, not enough sleep and nutrition.

It might be some coincidence, but it doesn't look to me that there is a connection to the diving that you are doing.

On the other hand, it might have something to do with the very dry air that you breath under water coupled with one or more of the other factors.

Anyway, hope you'll feel better.

Ari

 

[buff]

Typical mouth ulcers or "canker sores" are caused by the herpes virus.

There are many different types of herpes virus e.g. chicken pox, herpes type I and herpes type II, the elderly can get "shingles" which is the recurrence of dormant chicken pox virus. The list is very long.

Over 90% of the population has been exposed to herpes type I-generally accepted as the type to give you cold sores.

It seems that almost anything that can trigger an autoimmune response can result in a herpes outbreak-or in other words a cold sore. Stress, sunlight, hot foods, mechanical irritation, acidic foods, poor nutrition, lack of sleep. All these things can lead to a cold sore.

As far as treatment goes. They usually resolve by themselves within a few days. DNA analog medications such as Valtrex, Acyclovir or Famvir may be effective for some if taken early as signs or perhaps before signs begin.

But usually they are self resolving and of little worry in a healthy person with an intact immune system.

You maybe sensitive to the dentist's gloves though I doubt that any dentist is using latex gloves anymore. The rubber in a mouthpeice may cause irritation but it's probably more of a mechanical factor than a chemical one.