Q: I get canker sores quite often, especially after going through a round of chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Is there anything I could do to prevent their occurrence?

A: These nasty buggers which affect 25% of the population, called apthous ulcers, are painful white craters with a raised red border. The culprit is an unknown virus which seems to take over the oral cavity like Tommy Lee Jones on a manhunt when our immune system is taxed.

For treatment: Debacterol is a chemical cauterizer that is not over the counter which practically makes them disappear on contact. For prevention: Ben-Gurion University in Israel discovered that a nightly dose of vitamin B12 (1000 mcg) is a simple, effective and low risk therapy to prevent recurrence.