Take 1 teaspoon of sea salt or table salt with 1 cup of warm water. Stir the solution then use it to rinse your mouth several times. This helps to disinfect your mouth. It also helps to relieve the pain. After rinsing your mouth with the salt water, collect a pinch of salt and place it directly on the canker sore. This is usually a very painful process, but it's one of the best ways to speed up healing. You can do this 4 to 5 times a day. Pour about a teaspoon of Milk of Magnesia into a spoon. Take a clean cotton swab and soak it in the Milk of Magnesia.  Dab the canker sore and let the solution sit on the sore for 5-10 seconds with your mouth open. The magnesium hydroxide will dehydrate the canker sore and speed up the healing process. Repeat this 7-8 times a day. Milk of magnesia is available in most pharmacies - usually in the aisle with products for constipation. Buy some alum powder (in the baking or spice section of your grocery store).  Pour out a small amount (about the size of a pencil eraser) onto a spoon.  Take a cotton swab and dip the tip into water and then into the alum. Apply directly onto the canker sore. Leave it on your sore for 1-2 minutes. It may burn a bit. Have a glass of water nearby to rinse out your mouth. Alum is used as an astringent to shrink the tissues.  In addition, alum may stimulate the immune system, though that may be little help if your canker sore is not caused by a virus. Do this 1 to 2 times a day. Alum is used in baking and cooking, so if you swallow some, it isn’t a problem. Using a cotton swab, apply aloe gel directly to the canker sore. Leave it on for 1 to 2 minutes. Most likely the aloe will dissolve in your saliva. If not, rinse afterwards. You can repeat this treatment 4-5 times a day. Make a paste with about a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of water.  Use a cotton swab and dab the paste onto the canker sore. Let the solution sit on the sore for 5-10 seconds with your mouth open. The baking soda speeds healing and increases the pH of the mouth, reducing the risk of bacterial infection. Repeat this 7-8 times a day. To make sage tea, use 1 level teaspoon of sage per cup of hot water. You can make the chamomile tea in the same way, or use 1 bag per cup of hot water. When the teas are cooled down, mix them equally and then rinse your mouth out. Both sage and chamomile are known to be anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, reducing the risk of infection and general discomfort. You can also hold a chamomile tea bag against your canker sore. The chemical bisabolol in the tea will act as an anti-inflammatory and will reduce your canker sore's redness. You can buy these  from your local herb or health food store.  Let the lozenge rest on the canker sore until it dissolves. The DGL speeds healing and decreases the size of the canker sore. DGL is commonly used to treat ulcers in the digestive system. Don’t use lozenges with children, because it may be a choking hazard.  Also, DGL is an acquired taste, so have that glass of water nearby. Mix a tsp of cayenne pepper with a couple drops of water. Use a Q-tip to apply the mixture to your canker sore. It may sound terrifying, but the capsaicin in the cayenne pepper triggers sensors in your body that alert you to pain. So after the spicy taste fades away, your body will basically ignore your canker sore for 30 minutes to 1 hour. While coconut oil has not been medically proven to get rid of canker sores, it does have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. So it can't hurt, but it can taste good!
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One-sentence summary -- Make and use a saline rinse. Dehydrate your canker sore with Milk of Magnesia. Use alum powder to shrink your canker sore. Use aloe gel to soothe the pain. Place baking soda on your canker sore. Make a tea rinse. Get some deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) lozenges. Use a cayenne pepper cream to reduce the pain. Dab some coconut oil on your canker sore.


Usually, the drainage is bloody following surgery, but as time passes it should become straw-colored, then clear. The drainage should never look cloudy or like pus. Notice the amount of drainage for every 24 hours. Your doctor should have given you a marked plastic container so you can track how many cubic centimeters (cc) or milliliters (ml) of fluid were drained. Check this every time you empty the JP drain, usually every eight to 12 hours. The amount of fluid should decrease as time passes.  You'll probably also be given a data sheet, to log the amount at the time of drainage. Usually drains can be pulled (by your surgical staff) when drainage is less than 30 – 100 cc in 24 hours. It is important that you have good communication with your surgeon and the staff. You'll need to attend follow-up appointments for wound observation and drainage removal. You should also report any issues or concerns you have. If you notice any of the following, get call your doctor:  Edges of the wound are red Pus or thick drainage Foul odor coming from the incision/insertion site Fever, greater than 101°F (38.3°C) Pain at surgical site Bathing and showering can be challenging with JP drains, but with some help you should be able to gently clean the site. Be sure to get your doctor's permission before bathing or showering, especially if you still have bandages. If you're allowed to bathe or shower, gently wash the area and make sure it's completely dry when you're done. If you're not allowed to bathe or shower, carefully clean the area around the drain using a washcloth or gauze. If you need additional help, communicate this to the office staff for a visiting nurse referral. Some surgeons will have a visiting nurse come out daily to help you with a sponge bathe and washing your hair. Or consider having a family member help you bathe. Use a safety pin and attach the pin through the plastic loop on top of the JP bulb. Wear loose fitting clothing and attach your drains to your clothing, like a loose shirt. Pin the drains to anchor them. This way, they won't get tangled or pulled out. JP drains that are attached to clothing may also feel more comfortable.  You might try using a fanny pack to secure the JP drains around your waist. Avoid pinning them to your pants. If you accidentally forget they're there, you may pull down your pants and remove the drains.
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One-sentence summary --
Pay attention to the drainage. Monitor the wound site. Keep the area clean. Secure the drains.