No wooden toothpicks for this chap

DEAR DR. GOTT: As a child I frequently suffered from mouth sores. By chance I chewed on a wooden fork while eating French fried potatoes at age 12. (I am now 70.) The following day I had about 20 sores in my mouth near my lips.

Although no doctor then, or now, believed wooden utensils, tongue depressors or any other treated wood products put in the mouth caused these sores, I religiously made sure I did not use them. I didn’t have a sore again until I was 35.

I was at a function where chicken was served on wooden skewers. I carefully removed the skewer and ate the chicken. Two days later I had about 100 sores in my mouth and down my throat. I was in agony. My dentist helped [Read more...]

Alternative diagnosis, treatment for mouth ulcers

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing in reference to the 46-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Behcet’s disease in Memphis, Tenn.

In my mid-40s, I kept having recurring mouth sores. I could have from two to 30 at a time. This made speech and eating difficult. I went to many doctors in the area (also in Memphis) and was diagnosed with many things, including mouth thrush, vitamin B deficiency, an ulcerated digestive system from mouth to anus and an allergic reaction to peanuts and fried foods.

No one could give me any relief, and everywhere I went, I received a different diagnosis.
[Read more...]