An interview with Jeff Haley

Jeff Haley is the President of Orahealth USA Inc. and the inventor of Cankermelts®.

Liquorice and liquorice extract have appeared many times on the message board cited as a treatment for mouth ulcers, and do have clinically proven healing powers. Last year Jeff contacted me to discuss his product. What he has managed to do is provide an effective method for applying a measured dose of liquorice (glycyrrhiza) extract (GX) to an ulcer site over a suitable period of time. Samples were sent to customers of the Mouth Ulcers Shop, their feedback resulted in Cankermelts becoming a stock item.

The other day I took the opportunity to ask Jeff some questions:

What would you put at the top of the list of causes of mouth ulcers?

No research has produced conclusive evidence on the direct cause for mouth ulcers. Indirect factors are genetic predisposition, stress, and lacerations in the mouth.

How significant do you consider the role of the following, in causing or exacerbating mouth ulcers?
• bacteria
• viruses
• allergies
• auto-immune system malfunction.

Mouth ulcers are not viral and they are not contagious. The leading theories are that they are closely related to allergies and auto-immune diseases. A theory that several researchers are investigating is that a protein given off by a common bacterium present in the mouth triggers the immune system to attack mouth lining cells. This is very similar to how allergies work.

It has been observed that smokers are less likely to suffer so badly from mouth ulcers as non-smokers, to the extent that there have been clinical trials. Do you have any information or theories regarding this connection?

Tobacco smoke contains a plethora of ingredients, and I know of no research which suggests which ingredient is responsible for this effect. Similarly, liquorice root extract (GX) contains a plethora of ingredients and we do not know which of its ingredients is responsible for its healing properties. Once we identify the effective ingredient, we may still be a long way from determining the mechanism of action. Both tobacco smoke and GX work topically, without getting into your blood stream, and this is encouraging for developing still better topical treatments.

How does liquorice extract work in the treatment of mouth ulcers?

liquorice (Glycyrrhiza) extract (GX) contains many ingredients that might be effective, including glycyrrhizin and flavanoids. Glycyrrhizin, which is sweet, is broken by an enzyme in saliva and all body fluids into glycyrrhetinic acid, which is not sweet. Both glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid have active effects in the body, including an anti-inflammatory effect. This anti-inflammatory effect may explain how GX works for mouth ulcers. It may also be that the flavanoids contribute to its effectiveness.

What scientific data do you have on effectiveness of CankerMelts-GX?

The United States government paid for clinical trials with CankerMelts at the University of Washington. The results were published in February 2007 in the Journal of Dental Research, Volume 86. The research shows that Cankermelts reduce pain (without numbing) and accelerate the healing time of aphthous ulcers. Also, the added ingredient collagen helps ease pain and contributes to the healing process.

Do you suffer from mouth ulcers?

Yes, I do. I have had recurring aphthous ulcers all my life. That was the mother of my invention.

What prompted you to invent Cankermelts?

I got frustrated with all the terrible-tasting messy gels and mouth-numbing goos that didn’t do anything to help heal the ulcer. I thought there must be a better solution and started combing through medical journals in my spare time. Finally, I discovered a text about Glycyrrhiza extract mouthwash. liquorice root has been used for centuries as a traditional Asian medicine to treat a variety of ulcers. Unfortunately, the mouthwash had to be used in great quantities to have a healing effect on mouth ulcers. I decided to try to invent a more efficient means of delivering this natural medicine. I made and tested on myself over 250 different formulations and finally came up with CankerMelts.

In your opinion what is the best course of action for someone to:
• Ease the intense pain caused by mouth ulcers?
• Get them to heal as quickly as possible?
• Reduce the frequency and severity of their mouth ulcers?

Our clinical research shows that Cankermelts is the best non-prescription treatment for mouth ulcers. If use is commenced as soon as an ulcer is detected, Cankermelts will typically reduce the pain and speed healing to the point that the pain never becomes significant. You can “heal it before it hurts”. Cankermelts may even help prevent ulcers from forming, but we have no scientific evidence of this. We are working on a new preventive for mouth ulcers. In the meantime, reducing your stress levels may be the most effective way to reduce the incidence of ulcers.

Many thanks Jeff for your time, very informative. I look forward to hearing more of your 'new preventative'. In the meantime Cankermelts can be purchased from the Mouth Ulcers Shop.
Dom Walton, Feb 2007.