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i'm sure this topic has been touched upon in the past. more and more in the past two years or so, i have gotten small sores outside my lips. they come and go, often in the same half-dozen places, but i almost always seem to have one. my mouthpiece finish has definitely worn away a considerable amount but i've always doubted (probably incorrectly) that this was the reason. i try to brush off my mouthpiece often, but sometimes these things just stick around for a week or two...a lot of times right on my anchor point (very painful).

time for a new mouthpiece? or is this something that most players experience but combat with medication or something like that? thanks in advance for your help.

I had a very frustrating time playing with silver-plated mouthpieces and developing sores on the underside of my tongue. Even playing a gold-over-silver mouthpiece eventually created problems. I could have used a plastic (polycarbonate) mouthpiece, but I didn't care for the feel.

I had Dave Houser take two of my favorite mouthpieces and fit stainless steel rims to them, then PVD coat the rims with titanium nitride.

No more problems--and a rim that should withstand just about anything--Dave tells me that he has to polish them with a diamond wheel as the coating's so tough.

It looks just like gold--on a gold-plated mouthpiece, you'd be challenged to say where the gold ended and the TiN started. If anyone's interested, I can post photos, but, as I said, it looks just like gold.

Not at all unreasonable in cost, by the way. A new stainless mouthpiece would have cost more.

FWIW.

i definitely think these are caused by some sort of rubbing or cutting from the metal, not a reaction. i don't have other problems with breaking out or anything nasty like that, so i don't know if there's any way to avoid the sores other than replating/replacing the mouthpiece.

I think you just answered your own question. If you're on a budget, there are "clones" of some popular models available from Faxx or Atkinson, as well as used mouthpieces (see the For Sale section and check eBay).

You can also have your mouthpiece replated.

Hello --

I'm a Periodontist (like an Oral Surgeon) and a tuba player -- If you can, I'd recommend that you schedule an apointment with an Oral Pathologist at University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine in Farmington, when one of these sores first appears. It would be good to get a diagnosis of the sore and determine if it is a cold sore (herpes simplex virus) and that it is reactive to the irritation caused by your mouthpiece, or if it's something else (allergic reaction to your mouthpiece etc).

Do you feel an itching or burning or otherwise painful sensation at the area where the sore appears JUST BEFORE the sore appears? This is called a prodromal symptom and may be an indicator of a cold sore.

Here's the link to U Conn's dental school http://sdm.uchc.edu/ Information for patients http://sdm.uchc.edu/patient_services/index.shtml and the # to call for the Oral Pathology department is 860-679-4633

Hope this helps.

Dave
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Dr. David Rolf

Whenever I've practiced hard without warming down (what an odd phrase), I will get sores all over my mouth and it sucks, so whenever my chops are feeling pushed too hard, I start doing long low tones for 15 minutes and then take a little break, then warm up and start practicing again. The sores haven't occurred since I've done this.

2 things that should help -

Clean your mouthpiece with rubbing alcohol prior to use (and perhaps after as well) and try taking Lysine. Lysine is what I take whenever I have a lip, tongue, gum, or other mouth issue. It always cuts the healing time at least in half. Plus you can get it at any drug store. If you're having these problems often, perhaps talk to your doctor about making it a regular supplement.

Give it a shot.
Jim Langenberg

pgiampi1 wrote:my mouthpiece finish has definitely worn away

If there is any exposed brass, get a new mouthpiece or get it replated.

Bob Mosso wrote:

pgiampi1 wrote:my mouthpiece finish has definitely worn away

If there is any exposed brass, get a new mouthpiece or get it replated.

I second that - I know it's like a member of the family, but sometimes you gotta replace it. Put it on a shelf and see how many you can "wear out" with practice.

- Pat Stuckemeyer