Not to be confused with Anusol... (Anbesol Liquid)

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Anbesol Liquid
Date:	20/04/01 (120 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Instant relief, cheap

Disadvantages: Not a long term solution

The "teethers and soothers" category may be slightly misleading for the opinion you are about to read. Actually, that's a vast understatement, as I have no intention of mentioning babies, teething or the like whatsoever.

So what am I going to talk about then?

Mouth ulcers.

Anybody that suffers from them will be in great distress simply reading the words. People suffer from mouth ulcers for a number of reasons - diet, stress, oral habits (like chewing your tongue), poor dental hygiene, 'being run down' and telling too many lies are just a few of the causes that friends and colleagues have cited (guess which one Grandma suggested). Whatever the reason for getting them, mouth ulcers are truly miserable. You can't eat properly, you can't drink properly - sometimes you can't even talk properly, especially if you get them on your tongue.

I have been a great sufferer with mouth ulcers for many years - something I seem to have inherited from my father (bless him for his benevolent gift). They come in fits and starts - some months I have been reduced to tears with three or four festering little critters, and I have tried all sorts of treatments and remedies.

The local chemist was keen to recommend Anbesol liquid. Although designed primarily for teething babies, this liquid is also suitable for soothing mouth ulcer pain. The little bottle of liquid costs around £2.00, so it's not very expensive stuff, but you do have to ask the pharmacist for it. The liquid acts primarily as an anaesthetic, deadening the affected area, which effectively sooths the pain. The liquid also contains "stuff" to prevent infection.

The first thing you will notice about Anbesol is the pungent smell, and chemical taste. The liquid should only be applied to the exact area affected, and treatment can only be repeated every two or three hours. I always applied the liquid with my finger as this gave the
most accurate coverage without wasting the liquid. The effect is relatively instantaneous - once applied the mouth ulcer briefly sears with pain before becoming numb. The liquid is quite strong - if you manage to rub it into a larger than required area the numbness will quickly spread.

Unfortunately, whilst the liquid may have immediate effect, you will quickly find that mouth ulcer pain soon returns. Whilst I have no medical knowledge, it seems sensible to me that part of the problem with complaints of the mouth is that anything applied orally is quickly washed away by saliva, and so the effects can only last for a short time. I have found that within about ten or fifteen minutes the pain is soon back - and as the liquid can only be applied every few hours this really offers no relief whatsoever. Additionally, the taste of the liquid is quite nauseous, and after prolonged usage I found that the liquid upset my stomach, despite my care to avoid swallowing any.

Potential remedies for mouth ulcers are as numerous, and as varied as the suggestions for their cause. There are various substances available at the chemist which all provide some relief, but don't really get rid of the ulcers. Touch wood, I have not had a mouth ulcer for several months now, having implemented the following remedies:

1. I now eat one apple and one other piece of fruit per day, as I suspected that I might have a Vitamin C shortage.
2. Salt N Vingear crisps are now outlawed.
3. Changed my toothpaste.
4. When I clean my teeth, I no longer rinse with cold water - hot water softens the bristles of the toothbrush, and is less harsh.
5. Stopped drinking fruit cordial, unless the fruit juice content is in excess of 50%.
6. Drink much more water, as I was dehydrated.

Whether it was any one of these changes, or the combination of them all, that helped, I seem to have solved the problem. I would recommend Anbesol for soothing mild oral pain, bu
t I cannot recommend it as a suitable treatment for mouth ulcers.

Oh - and I should also like to deny any liability for readers who rushed out and applied Anusol to their mouth ulcers, because they misread my review?..

Summary: