Quote Originally Posted by FakeBoobsRule
The canker sore doesn't have to be caused by a bacterial infection or be infected for salt water rinses to be effective. Salt water helps shrink the mucosal membranes which can help with the helping process in addition to its antibacterial actions. I also don't think it matters whether or not it was caused by foreign bacteria or from normal flora because salt causes an osmotic shift and I don't think bacteria have a resistance mechanism to it.
Actually the bacteria that's beneficial to your body has adjusted to it. Another example of natural selection I suppose, but they're quite at home in your body which is a tad saltier than the external world.

Anywhoo what I said about salt is just from my personal experience, whatever works for you works for you. From the dozen's of cankers I've had though, I found the baking soda to work best.