Mouth ulcers and toothpaste

[Squiff70]

For many months, I've had LOTS of mouth ulcers - sometimes four or five at a time. I get them mainly on my tongue, especially the under side and they look like big craters, but on the inside of my lower lip and tip of my tongue too. I am sick to death of them as some take a week to heal, by which time new ones have appeared. It's a never-ending cycle of pain and irritation.

I read recently on MN that toothpaste containing SLS can cause mouth ulcers. I've been using toothpaste prescribed by my dentist as it's higher in fluoride than shop-bought pastes. I just checked the ingredients and it lists sodium laureth sulphate (SLS).

Does anyone know which toothpaste(s) are free of SLS please? I think Sensodyne do one, but they seem to have about 30 different types on the market and each time I go shopping I find I don't have time to stand reading every box to check every ingredient.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Also, if you've managed to find an SLS-free toothpaste, if you could add a photo of the box or tube that would be a massive help too.

Thank you!

SLS is a totally unneeded foaming agent. Makes it frothy.

Oralieve do an SLS free toothpaste. For this persistent level of ulcers you need a referral to a maxillofacial surgeon.

Corsodyl toothpaste did the trick for me and it's sls free

Most sensodyne doesn't have it. You're going to have to brave the bored toddler or otherwise buy in on Amazon where you can read ingredients at your leisure. It's such a game changer that it's worth a moment's tantrum...

also use corsodyl when you get what feels like the start of one and it should head it off from developing

My ed used to get loads of ulcers which cleared up when she realised she had a dairy allergy. Might be worth cutting out if the change of toothpaste doesn't help

Thank you so much everyone. I'm looking at all your suggestions now.

Definitely the lidl one. Bargain price, no SLS and good fluoride level.

We buy the gold one but all versions are sls free

Sensodyne Gentle Whitening is pretty good. I get terrible mouth ulcers (must go back to the doctor about it). It seems to be dairy and/or sugar-related but the Sensodyne really helps to not aggravate the little bastards further.

I suffered badly from mouth ulcers, I would have mahoosive ones that would hang around for months.
I was under maxillofacial and had biopsies done, always came back negative.
I was put on folate and b12 vitamins that greatly eased the problem (I was low on these) But what really knocked them on the head was sensodyne original toothpaste.
I still get the odd ulcer now and then, but they go within a week.

Oh and anything salty set them off, especially crisps.

I use Kingfisher toothpaste. The one with fluoride in. And cut out sugary treats. Has almost completely stopped my ulcers. Harsh toothpaste and sugar both cause me ulcers.

Has anyone else noticed that the ulcers are at their most painful on waking from sleep? Whether I manage an afternoon nap, an evening sofa doze or overnight sleep, the second I wake up I'm in a lot of pain from the ulcers which wasn't so apparent before falling asleep. Why is that?

DH gets terrible ulcers but they’ve stopped since we’ve been using the arm and hammer toothpastes.

Corsodyl toothpaste tastes appalling but seems to work for me. Can't actually remember a time in the past 30 years where I've not had at least a couple of ulcers, but I do know that chewy sweets are guaranteed to start off a fresh batch.

If you do get really fed up: adcortyl in orabase is the nuclear option. Think only from overseas chemists and v pricey but it works.

I had the same problem with SLS and mouth ulcers, I use Sendsodyne toothpaste now but have to check the packaging as there are so many different Sensodynes and some do have SLS. I also find Corsodyl mouthwash works really quickly if I do get an ulcer, I use it at night and my mouth usually feels better by the morning.
This is the toothpaste I'm using at the moment, it's great for not causing ulcers but it was very pricy, so I think I'll take a look at the Lidl ones next after reading this thread

But don't buy this one, it was on special offer but I read the ingredients too quickly and didn't spot the SLS. Only realised when my mouth started feeling sore

Yeah I used to use Sensodyne but still got mouth ulcers, it's the Lidl one that has knocked it on the head.

I didn't even go out of my way to try it, just happened to pick it up as we'd run out of toothpaste. I didn't realise until a couple of weeks in that it had totally cleared up my mouth ulcers, so I can't be without it now. Honestly it was such a massive relief as I thought I'd be stick with them forever.

Agree sensodyne toothpaste, but check the ingredients list as some lines do have SLS. You have my sympathy as I get them too. Switching toothpaste almost totally eliminated them though. Salt water rinse helps, as does mouthwash and just generally keeping your mouth clean

*stuck with them