Home Remedies For Canker Sores
What Are Canker Sores?
Canker sores (apthous ulcers) are painful small sores inside the mouth.
Having a red border, they typically appear on the tongue, floor of the mouth or inside the lips or cheeks. They are not contagious.
In spite of the fact that canker sores are quite common, the reason for their appearance is not known and usually take a week or two to heal.
In contrast, cold sores appear on the gums, lips or on the roof of the mouth (hard palate). Cold sores are very contagious.
Home Remedies For Canker Sores
Some natural remedies are being tried for the treatment of canker sores. It is essential that a physician be consulted, especially if there is a recurrence of canker sores as they may be an indication of some other secondary disease like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, Behcet’s syndrome or squamous cell carcinoma. Some home remedies are:
German Chamomile
This herb has been in use for thousands of years in the treatment of different conditions such as sore throats, eczema, gingivitis, psoriasis, colds, irritable bowel syndrome ulcerative colitis and abscesses.
Chamomile also relieves the pain associated with canker sores. Excellent pain relief was reported by 82 percent of the people who took part in a preliminary study. But the true success of the study could not actually be gauged since no placebo group was included.
Chamomile should not be taken by people suffering from allergies to ragweed, aster, chrysanthemum or feverfew because they all belong to the dame family. Reactions that may need immediate medical attention could include swollen lips and eyes, itching, throat tightness, hives and shortness.
There is also the possibility of chamomile interacting with sedative drugs, alcohols anti-platelet and ant-clotting medications, warfarin (Coumadin®) included.
Lady’s Mantle.
Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla Vulgaris) is a herb that has been in use as a folk remedy for throat and mouth infections, painful menstrual periods, menopausal ailments and rashes on the skin.
A preliminary study that studied the efficacy of a lady’s mantle(3%) gel in 48 individuals with canker sores. The gel was applied thrice daily. Seventy five of the patients showed relief from the discomfort associated with canker sores whereas only 40% of those uses the commonly available medications and 33.3% of those who used no treatment showed any signs of relief.
Vitamin B12
Individuals who suffered from recurrent attacks of canker sores were found to lack vitamin B12 or Cobalamin. This vitamin is a water soluble that is essential in the well being of the nervous system, in producing DNA and RNA, helping iron function, forming red blood cells, boosting immunity and fighting off stress.
Fatigue, nervousness, shortness of breath, diarrhea and tingling or numbness of the toes and the fingers are the symptoms of deficiency in vitaminB12. People who have had stomach surgery, who follow a strict vegetarian diet, have an eating disorder or have intestinal infections like Helicobacter Pylori or tapeworm are those who are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 supplements must not be taken in combination with tetracycline, as it may inhibit the efficacy of the antibiotic.
Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)
This is a form of a herbal licorice known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice or DGL. A small study has explored its use in the treatment of canker sores. In this study involving 15 people, by the 3rd day 75% of them had been completely healed of the sores. Since the study did not employ a placebo group, it is not possible to come to a conclusion about the real effectiveness of deglycyrrhizinated licorice. A mouthwash of powdered DGL mixed with water was used for the study. DGL, as the name implies, differs from crude in that the glycyrrhizic acid has been removed. The portion that increases blood pressure. Soluble tablets of DGL are also available.