CankerMelts is a non-prescription over-the-counter medication produced by Orahealth Corporation, located in Bellevue, Washington. CankerMelts are used to treat canker sores ( aphthous ulcer) and other trauma-based mouth ailments. The product's active ingredient is '' Glycyrrhiza'' extract (GX), which comes from the root of the

licorice Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) ( ; also ) is the common name of ''Glycyrrhiza glabra'', a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring can be extracted. The liq ...

plant. GX is thought to have pain relieving, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. CankerMelts are time-released dissolving discs that adhere in the mouth in order to deliver a GX-

collagen Collagen () is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole ...

mix directly to the affected area. The disc dissolves in the mouth, slowly releasing the GX and collagen over two to six hours. Research shows that this mix may reduce the healing time of the canker sores from one to two weeks to three to five days.

Testing and research

The results of a 2006

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...

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National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) is a branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The institute aims to improve the oral, dental, and craniofacial health through research and the distribution of important he ...

funded study at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...

showed oral patches with ''Glycyrrhiza'' extract were able to decrease ulcer size and significantly lower both passive and stimulated pain in 81 percent of the treatment group.

References

{{reflist Oral hygiene Drugs