Playing-Induced Canker Sore?

[jenkinsmd]

Does anyone else have a problem with a recurring canker sore on one or both sides of the mouth that seems to stem from playing tuba?

It seems like playing tuba, especially in the higher range, creates a painful canker sore on the left side of my mouth back near the molars. I can see how this problem is created...when my embouchure is tense, the inside part of my mouth is forced between the open teeth and is damaged by the constant friction there.

Is there a solution to this problem? It's not a huge annoyance, but annoying nonetheless, especially during the school year when I am daily playing. If severe enough, the sore can impair my playing. Anyway, is this something I need to adjust with my embouchure or just an unfortunate problem that hopefully can be resolved?

Thanks!

[jenkinsmd]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I guess I should have elaborated. I sense no extreme "chewing" motion or anything like that...so it's probably more due to constant contact with the edges of the teeth.

[Tuba Guy]

I've gotten this a few times (not entirely sure of the reason, but if I accidentally hit my mouth with the mouthpiece, it often happens). Get vitamin E tablets (gel filled), make a small hole in the end and put that where it hurts...keep doing that until it gets better. Also use vitamin L-Lysene...I did one or two a day until it got better. Finally, I found that brushing my teeth obsessively while I had it made it go away faster.
This is my experience, it may work for you

[steve_decker]

Listerine...

It relieves the pain and speeds up the healing process.

[Matt G]

Listerine...

It relieves the pain and speeds up the healing process.

This stuff (Peroxyl) works even faster, stings/burns less, and is pretty easy to find. I recommended it to students with braces if a sore came about. It usually brought the time down from a week to 3-4 days for full recovery. It was recommended to me from a dentist who was familiar with brass playing, IIRC.

[jenkinsmd]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be sure to try them out!

[Al]

I had recurrent canker sores since childhood and treated them symptomatically without great success when they appeared. They appeared after trivial injury such as biting my cheek and I have always assumed they were caused by an ongoing bacterial infection much like gastric ulcers.

In any event, I began scraping my tongue about 2 years ago and that was the end of the canker sores. The dead cells on the tongue must be harbor the causative agent. I would suggest you try tongue scraping and see if it doesn't cure the problem.