How to cure canker sores?
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
Canker Sores are the small open wounds that appear in lips, tongue, cheeks and other soft tissues inside the mouth. The small oval-shaped wound looks white or yellow color with a reddish border. Even though the sore gets healed in a few days without any treatment, it is very throbbing and annoying.
Here we have shared some effective tips to get rid of canker sores fast.
Apart from healing, the home remedies will help you to get relief and soothe the pain.
1) Rinse your mouth with saltwater or Hydrogen Peroxide
Swishing your mouth with the substances which have medicinal properties will heal the injuries inside the mouth.
Saltwater mouth rinse is a well-known remedy for various dental ailments like a toothache. Take one teaspoon of salt and mix it in a cup of warm water. Gargle your mouth with the saltwater solution two times a day.
Hydrogen peroxide has the power of reducing the bacteria inside the mouth. Take Hydrogen Peroxide and water in the 1:1 ratio, Rinse your mouth with that solution or directly apply the mixture over the sores inside the mouth.
Tip: Antacids tablets that help to neutralize acidity in the stomach are also effective to get relief from the painful sores.
2) Chamomile Tea
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties present in Chamomile have made the herb as a powerful remedy for canker sores.
Prepare a cup of chamomile tea. Cool the tea and swish your mouth with that fluid. The curative compounds in the tea will boost the healing process.
Tip: Applying a steeped tea bag on the painful sores also helps you to get rid of the mouth sores quickly.
3) Milk of magnesium
Magnesium is essential to keep the normal functioning of our nerves and muscles. The compound is also powerful to neutralize the acid and maintain the pH levels inside our mouth. Minimizing the acidic environment in mouth prevents the breeding of bacteria responsible for various oral problems including mouth sores.
Apply a little amount of milk of magnesia over the wound and keep it for a few minutes. Then wash your mouth.
Repeat this process thrice a day. The milk of magnesium covers the wound and cures the sore quickly.
4) Aloe Vera Gel
Dentists suggest aloe vera gel for various dental diseases including gum diseases. It is because the gel has a high amount of anti-inflammatory agents. Besides this, the herb leaves an immunostimulating effect on the region where it has been placed.
Applying aloe vera gel to the canker sores will reduce the burning sensation and instant relief from the pain.
5) Suck on ice
If you cannot bear the pain and burning feeling inside your mouth because of the sores, place an ice cube inside your mouth and suck it slowly. It reduces the pain by numbing the regions around the lesion for a short duration. Meanwhile, you can smash the ice into smaller pieces for sucking.
Note: Don’t chew the ice because biting ice will damage your teeth.
6) Suck on Slippery Elm Lozenges
Sucking slippery elm has been in practice since ancient times to treat mouth, throat problems. The slippery elm lozenges are effective to provide relief and fix canker sores.
7) Take Vitamin Supplements
Researches show that Vitamins B and E have the potent to cure canker sores. Adding those Vitamin B and E supplements in your menu will not only heal the canker sores but also helps to prevent the issue.
Here are some of the food items you should add in your menu to cure canker sores:
- Yogurt
- Cereals
- Eggs
- Yeast
- Shitake mushroom
- Broccoli, Spinach and other leafy vegetables
- Nuts
The base reason for the painful mouth sores ranges from stress, vitamin deficiencies and much more. Dentists reveal that H.Pylori bacteria is also a factor for this ailment.
You can get relief and fasten the healing process with the remedies given here, Likewise, you can also get benefit from medicines like ibuprofen to soothe the pain. If the sores persist for more than a week, it will be better to consult your dentist.
