A small number of smoker's experience mouth irritations when they cut down or quit smoking. The cause is related to chemical adjustments that are taking place in your mouth. For years your mouth has had to withstand repeated assaults with hot cigarette smoke. Your tissues are adjusting and healing.

Keep practicing good oral hygiene. This will keep the sore from getting infected and causing you further problems. Avoid really spicy, sour or salty foods. Make sure what your eating isn't too hot or cold.
Speak to your pharmacist about topical treatments for mouth sores. 

Thanks all,

I´m finding that its sugary foods that are causing me the most discomfort - so things like lollipops, boiled sweets etc are not an option to take my mind off smoking. I´m formulating my own theory on what the root cause of all this is and I´ve put together the following:

Every night I´m waking up with an incredibly dry mouth, to the extent that I´m taking a 1 litre bottle of water to bed with me. In the past, having been a relatively heavy smoker (30 - 40 a day for the last 20 years), the poisons contained in the cigarette smoke have ensured that any bacteria in my mouth were fried almost immediately. Now however, I´m back to relying on the enzymes and antibacteria which naturally occur in saliva doing the job for me (as well as practising good dental hygiene). I´m also avoiding alcohol like the plague at the moment as I know that that, by far is the biggest trigger for me. I think sailors started drinking rum to avoid things like scurvy didn´t they? Well without the cigarette smoke, alcohol etc I´m suddenly asking an awful lot of my saliva, so until some natural balance is restored I just have to live with it, and floss, brush and rinse like a nutter.

I realise its probably a preposterous theory, no doubt there´s a dental hygienist out there s******ing away to themself, but its working for me and helps me to convince myself it’s all part of the healing process! I probably should mention that as a result of an accident a few years back I wear a prosthetic front tooth which is fitted to a plate that clips against two teeth and sits on the roof of my mouth. I mean it’s a harbour for nasty things. I´m hoping to get an implant in the future with the money I save from not smoking, but as I mentioned before, first I have to put my mechanic´s kids through college. lol

Again, thanks for your encouragement and suggestions and fear not - I´ve no intention of trying the cigar remedy! My apologies for venting off a bit with my first post. A lot of accumulated frustration really; cars breaking down, additional bills to pay as a result, no noticeable difference in cash flow despite all the effort, no rewards and a painful mouth. I can see the bright side though – I´m losing a couple of pounds every week as I´m not eating much, so unwanted weight gain isn´t an issue for me J

The very best to you all,

Steve