Canker Sore Home Remedies that Work
If you are interested in home remedies for canker sores, you can rely on many proven home remedies that are natural and you won’t have to worry about the side effects and various other problems that may arise due to the use of drugs.
Canker sores are painful ulcers that occur in various areas of the mouth such as gums, throat, cheek, lips and tongue and people who suffer from them are always on the lookout for effective canker sore home remedies and effective treatment methods.
In most of the cases, they tend to heal up on their own, however using a natural treatment method as a canker sore home remedy can really speed up the healing and can reduce the pain without harmful side effects.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
That’s what those who are blessed with wisdom always seem to say. And while this might be an appropriate goal for your life overall, it’s not necessarily helpful for the small-yet-annoying day-to-day problems you have to endure. Like spilling hot coffee on a shirt, or being unable to find your car keys when you’re late for work… or dealing with canker sores.
What Are Canker Sores?
Canker sores are not fever blisters or cold sores, but rather small lesions that are not caused by a particular virus. They are between a quarter inch and an inch in diameter and can be found on the tongue, lips, mouth, throat, or cheeks. Though canker sores tend to be genetic and found in teens or young adults, stress, poor diet, mouth injuries, and a weakened immune system are thought to be correlating factors. Canker sores usually heal on their own within a week or two, when they burst open and then appear yellow or white in color with a red border.
Help! I’ve Got A Canker Sore!
The pain and discomfort of canker sores may make you want to jump in your car and drive to the nearest dentist for relief. If you have the time in your schedule, this may be the simplest way to address the problem. A dentist or dental assistant may have suggestions or medicines that can provide you with fast, effective relief for your canker sores.
But if a visit to the dentist’s office isn’t feasible for you, there are several home remedies for canker sores that you can easily apply yourself. Here are seven of the most common:
- Baking soda. Many people seem to think that rinsing with baking soda and water four to five times a day is even more effective than basic salt water rinses. Another idea is to use less water and make a baking soda paste which can be rubbed on the canker sore. Salt and hydrogen peroxide can even be added to this mixture for additional pain relief.
- Milk of magnesia. While generally used as a laxative, dabbing a bit3 of milk of magnesia on a canker sore a few times daily can help form a protective coating around it. The substance also has antibacterial effects to keep the canker sore from getting worse. Swishing with milk of magnesia can have the same effect.
- A wet tea bag. How does this help? Tea contains tannic acid, which acts as an astringent to speed the healing process while decreasing inflammation and pain. For best results, use a black or green tea bag, wet it with cold water, and press it on the canker sore for several minutes.
- Sage. This herb has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries4. Brewing sage leaves into a tea, allowing it to cool, and rinsing with it can often provide instant pain relief in canker sore sufferers. This treatment is recommended several times a day for three to four days.
- Cayenne pepper. This may sound counterintuitive, but cayenne pepper contains a substance called capsaicin5, which has the ability to numb nerve endings that cause the pain associated with canker sores. So rubbing a pinch of cayenne pepper on your canker sore can help (though it may sting at first).
- Plum juice. Health food stores and even mass market retailers now sell plum juice, which not only contains vitamins and nutrients but can also aid in reducing canker sore discomfort. Either use plum juice as a mouthwash or dab some on a cotton ball and apply it to the canker sore for ten minutes or so.
- Onion. If you’ve ever cried while slicing onions, you know that this vegetable packs a punch. Pressing a chunk of raw onion to your canker sore for several minutes can allow the onion’s juices to begin attacking the canker sore and reducing inflammation.
Herbal and Home Remedies for Canker Sores
Increased intake of vitamin B12- Many people experience recurring canker sores in mouth have deficiency of vitamin B12. This vitamin is also known as cobalamin and is soluble in water. It not only helps in reserving the nerve cells, but also helps in creating DNA and RNA.
Aside from that, they help in the proper utilization of iron in your body and help in the creation of red blood cells, and also help the body in handling stress with much vigor. Few symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency are diarrhea, numbness sensation in finger and toes, shortness of breath, nervousness and diarrhea. You can treat canker sores in tongue and other areas of your mouth by milk, chicken, fish, eggs and other foods derived from animals. Aside from that, there are many fortified food items such as cereals that can be taken by vegetarians to prevent B12 deficiency. Vegetarians are more susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency and they should take more care of their diet. If you love seafood, you can take mollusks and clams as they are rich in vitamin B12. Some seaweeds such as nori have significant amount of vitamin B12 in them and are an excellent source for getting rid of canker sores.
Take it easy- In some cases, physical trauma is also a trigger for canker sores. Playing sport, brushing too hard or accidentally biting cheeks while chewing can cause canker sores. You should regularly brush your teeth in a proper way, and do flossing. By removing any foreign debris, you can eliminate any chances of canker sores before they actually start. This is a tremendously easy canker sore home remedy but it is easy to take it for granted… so don’t!.
German Chamomile- This is one of the best home remedies for canker sores that has been used for centuries. It is also used as a remedy for sore throats, ulcerative colitis, gingivitis, irritable bowel syndrome, colds, abscesses, eczema and psoriasis. It is also useful in canker sore treatment. It can provide you results within a week.
You should eat more yoghurt as it is the best natural remedy for canker sores. Yogurt has active acidophilus culture that prevents and cures canker sores. If you frequently get these types of sores, then it is best to eat yoghurt in good quantities as it will prevent them from coming and would cure them in the affected persons. However, you should see your doctor, if your sores do not go even after 10 days of treatment, or you get such sores once or twice a month.
Check your toothpaste-You should check if your toothpaste has sodium lauryl sulfate; (SLS). This chemical has been known as an irritant that can cause canker sores in your mouth.
Lady’s Mantle- Also known as alchemilla vulgaris, it has been used as a remedy for mouth and throat infections, skin rashes, painful menstrual periods and various menopausal ailments. You can make a gel by crushing lady’s mantle in some glycerine and apply on your canker sores in mouth for quick relief.
Eat healthy-Various snack foods such as pretzels, chocolates, soda pop, potato chips can trigger canker sores. More acidic foods such as lemons, pineapples, strawberries, and oranges can also contribute to canker sores. Every person has a different body, so the best way to keep track of the situation is be keeping a food journal and then compare the results with your canker outbreaks.
Vitamin supplements- You should take vitamin supplements for Folic acid, B1, B2, iron and B6. Not only are the B vitamins good for canker sore remedies, they are beneficial for many other areas of health too.
If you frequently get canker sores, then you should rinse your mouth with calendula tea as it can help in curing canker sores in your mouth. You should take two tea bags and leave it in hot water for few minutes. Once the herbs go out into the liquid, you should use it as a mouth wash as it is more effective than chemical based mouthwash available on the market.
Many experts advise that people with canker sores should take large dosages of homeopathic borax several times a day to get quick relief from pain. Many people also use aspirin, as it is quick and more effective.
You should open your mouth several times a day to let air pass though it, as it can help in healing your aphthous ulcers. You can use ice cubes on the sores in your mouth to get relief from pain. You should also have foliate and iron minerals in the form of supplements, as their deficiency can lead to sores in your mouth among other things such as hair loss.
Some Really Quick Canker Sore Home Remedies
One really good canker sore home remedy is to take a glass of water and dissolve a teaspoon of salt in it. Now rinse your mouth with this solution at least three times a day.
Infuse a spoonful of tormentil root in half a glass of cold water and cover this vessel. Now boil the tincture for ten minutes on low fire. Decant it, and rinse your mouth with the decoction five times a day.
Infuse one tablespoon of calendula blossoms in a glass of boiling water. Leave this tincture to brew for about an hour. Afterwards, decant it and rinse your mouth with it at least six times a day.
Mix three drops of tea tree oil, three drops of lemon oil, three drops of myrrh essential oil and two tablespoons of grape essential oil. Smear your sores with this mixture every two hours.
Mix four drops of geranium oil, four drops of tea tree oil, four drops of lavender oil in a glass of water and rinse your mouth with this mixture for about six times a day. This is one of the most effective canker sore home remedies and it will shows results within just a few hours.
Other Options For Canker Sores
It’s not a bad idea to try these home remedies initially for your canker sores before seeking medical help. If these methods don’t do the trick, a topical medicine with active ingredients such as benzocaine (Anbesol), amlexanox (Aphthasol) and fluocinonide (Lidex, Vanos) to help ease the pain of canker sores. A doctor may also prescribe a mouth rinse containing the steroid dexamethasone to reduce pain and inflammation.
Dealing with a canker sore can be exasperating and incredibly distracting despite its diminutive size. But you may have the solution to your problem somewhere in your pantry, cabinet, or refrigerator at home.
Chris Martin has written numerous articles on the health care industry, including palliative care, dental assisting programs, and holistic treatments. When he’s not writing about health, he researches about new medical technologies and health treatments.
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