Canker sores are difficult to manage because the causes are multifactorial, making identifying the triggers a challenging task. It is important to invest some time in identifying your personal triggers to help you identify what to avoid to prevent a canker outbreak. Follow the steps below to start your identification process.

Keep a Journal

The identification process starts with keeping a thorough food journal. This includes all packaged and restaurant foods. Write down all the ingredients in the packaged foods including the preservatives. Get information on the exact ingredients used to make the food you choose at a restaurant. After a few months of keeping a journal, you should be able to narrow down the possible triggers to a manageable list.

Do Not Cut Out Common Triggers Unless They are Yours

It is common to see canker sore sufferers avoid all types of foods when they are in fact not intolerant or allergic to that specific type of food. Just because a food is a common trigger does not mean that it’s yours. It is important to avoid a food item after you have confirmed that it is your personal trigger because it may contain vital nutrients. More importantly, it may be your favorite food.

Weeks 1-8

For the first eight weeks, follow strict avoidance of possible triggers. If you continue to see the same pattern of canker sore appearance, you may resume your normal diet. It is safe to say that none of the suspect foods are true triggers, since eliminating them did not help improve symptoms. Start with a new list of suspect foods or look for other causes.

Possible Triggers Identified

If you notice that your canker sores are improving, slowly reintroduce each possible trigger every seven days. If at any point during this period your canker sores start to show up again, you may have identified the newly added food as the trigger. However, it doesn't end here.

Re-challenge

Once you have identified a food as a possible trigger, stay away from it for six weeks and allow your canker sore to completely heal. At this point, you can continue to avoid the trigger for as long as you need to. However, it is important to re-introduce the trigger as a confirmation test. Canker sore causes are numerous, so the first occurrence may have been a coincidence. After your canker sore has healed and you are ready for a re-challenge, introduce the possible trigger food again to your diet and observe. If you get a canker sore within 3-4 days of the re-introduction, then it is likely the culprit.