Frequent canker
sores can signal that you're not getting enough iron or folic acid. Juice
therapy is helpful in this case.
Add two kale
leaves, a small handful each of parsley and spinach and four or five carrots
into a juicer. This drink is very nutritious and is also a good source of
beta-carotene, which has been shown to heal mouth sores
Herbal Therapy
Several herbs are
useful in the treatment of cranker sores. Most of them contain tannins and have
other wound healing properties. Tannin, the common name for tannic acid, is a
constituent of many plants and gives foods an astringent taste. An antiseptic
with broad-spectrum antibacterial and antiviral action, it's especially helpful
for treating mouth sores, which could be caused by a bacterium, a fungus, a
virus or an allergy.
1. Gargle with
calendula tea or goldenseal tea to help canker sores heal.
To make the tea:
Pour a cup of
boiling water over one to two teaspoons of the dried herb.
Let this mixture steep for ten minutes.
Strain it so that there is no herb left in the liquid.
Use this tea as a
mouthwash three or four times daily.
2. Myrrh:
Myrrh contains high amounts of tannins. Powdered myrrh is useful for the
treatment of mild inflammations of the mouth. Myrrh had been used as a
traditional remedy for mouth and gum irritations. Some herbalists suggest mixing
200-300 mg of herbal extract or 4 ml of myrrh tincture with warm water and
swishing it in the mouth two to three times per day. Alternately, you can open a
capsule and dab a little directly on the sore.
3. Tea:
Regular beverage tea also has a rich supply of tannins. Try placing a spent tea
bag on your canker sores. Or make tea from some of the other herbs that are high
in tannin, such as bearberry, eucalyptus, St.-John's-wort, sage, raspberry,
peppermint and licorice.
4. Cankerroot (Coptis
groenlandica) or goldthread. This plant got its name because of its
traditional use as a treatment for canker sores. American Indians and early
settlers alike used cankerroot as a tea to treat both sore throat and canker
sores. They chewed raw root for canker sores and fever blisters.
5. Goldenseal:
This herb was an American Indian favorite for treating all sorts of wounds.
Goldenseal contains astringent, antiseptic chemicals that help treat wounds and
infections. Add two teaspoons of dried goldenseal to a cup of boiling water and
steep until cool. Use it as a mouth rinse three or four times a day. Barberry
and Oregon grape have similar constituents and healing effects.
6. Licorice.
Licorice contains tannin, and the compounds glycyrrhetinic-acid and
glycyrrhizin. All of these help speed the healing of sores.
Licorice that has
had the glycyrrhizic acid removed is called deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL).
Glycyrrhizic acid is the portion of licorice root that can increase blood
pressure and cause water retention in some people. The wound-healing and
soothing components of the root remain in DGL.
A mixture of DGL and
warm water obtained by combining 200 mg of powdered DGL and 200 ml of warm water
may be applied to the inside of the mouth. This is found to shorten the healing
time for mouth ulcers. It can then be swished in the mouth for two to three
minutes and then spit out. Continue this on each morning and evening for one
week.
You can use licorice
to sweeten the herbal teas recommended here. In one study that looked at the
power of licorice to heal canker sores, a mouthwash containing this herb
provided relief for 75 percent of the people who used it. Those who got relief
noted substantial improvement within one day and complete healing by the third
day.
7. Sage: Many
herbalists suggest making a strong sage tea to treat inflammations of the mouth
and throat. To make this tea, use two teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling
water. Let it steep until cool and then gargle with it.
Caution: You should
not drink too much of this tea. Sage contains a fair amount of thujone, a
compound that in very high doses may cause convulsions if taken in excessive
quantities.
8. Wild geranium
(Geranium maculatum). The Cherokee Indians used wild geranium as an
astringent to stop the bleeding of open wounds and as a wash to treat canker
sores. It is widely used in folk medicine to treat mouth sores.
9. Echinacea:
The antiviral, immune-enhancing, and wound-healing properties of echinacea make
it a reasonable choice for mouth ulcers. Liquid echinacea in the amount of 4 ml
can be swished in the mouth for two to three minutes, then swallowed. This can
be repeated three times per day. Tablets and capsules containing echinacea may
also be helpful.
10. Chamomile:
Chamomile has a soothing effect on mucous membranes (including the lining of the
mouth). It also has healing properties. A strong tea made from chamomile
tincture can be swished in the mouth three to four times per day.
11. Aloe Vera:
Aloe Vera is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat cranker sore. An extract from
aloe vera has been shown to be beneficial in one preliminary study. Some doctors
of natural medicine recommend 1-3 tablespoons of aloe vera juice be used as a
mouthwash then swallowed three times daily.
12. Tea tree oil
helps prevent infection and control parasites and candida. Rinse the mouth
with 3 drops of tea tree oil diluted in a glass of water. Twice daily, after
brushing the teeth, apply a few drops of oil with a cotton swab directly to
infected area.
13.
Herbal Mouth
Rinses:
|
 |
Rinse the mouth
with licorice root tea, diluted myrrh oil or aloe vera juice to soothe and
heal the sore. |
|
|
Use horsetail or
echinacea tincture (20 drops diluted in 1/4 cup water), sage, lavender or
camomile tea to rinse the mouth every two hours. |
|
|
Place 1 tsp.
fenugreek seeds in 1 cup cold water. After six hours, bring to a boil and
strain immediately. When cooled to lukewarm, add 1 tsp. honey. Use to gargle
and swallow a little. |
|
|
Oak, burdock
root, rest-harrow, red clover, red raspberry and calendula are astringent
and reduce inflammation. Make a strong tea with them and use it as a mouth
wash. |
A three-week herbal
cure:
Mix 3 parts nettle,
1 part sage, and 3 parts chicory.
Soak 3 tbsp. of the
mix in 1 qt. cold water overnight. Next morning bring to a boil, steep for five
minutes, strain.
Drink 1 cup three
times daily.
Nutritional Therapy
If your sores are
caused by a vitamin or mineral deficiency, supplements of vitamins C and B
complex, as well as folic acid, iron, and zinc, may help.
Several studies
have found a high incidence of iron and B vitamin deficiency among people with
recurrent mouth ulcers. Supplementing with B vitamins-300 mg vitamin B1, 20 mg
vitamin B2, and 150 mg vitamin B6-has been reported to provide some people with
relief. Thiamine (B1) deficiency, specifically, has been linked to an increased
risk.
Some people with
recurrent mouth ulcers have been reported to respond to lactobacillus
acidophilus. Chewing four lactobacillus tablets three times per day may reduce
soreness in some people with recurrent mouth ulcers.
Take 1,000
milligrams of the amino acid lysine at each meal during an outbreak and then 500
milligrams at each meal for a week afterward.
Rub the liquid
from a vitamin E capsule directly on the sore. Apply it three times a day during
an outbreak until the sore heals.
Take 4,000 -
5,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily during outbreaks of canker sores and at
least 500 milligrams daily as a way of preventing them.
Zinc lozenges
help resolve canker sores by supporting the immune system.
Calcium
supplements help counteract the overacidity.
Suggested Daily
Dosages:
Acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus)
Aids in maintaining healthy balance of intestinal flora ("friendly" bacteria).
Use a high-potency powdered form.
Dosage: Take on an empty stomach as directed on the product.
L-Lysine
A deficiency may cause an outbreak of sores in and around the mouth. Do not take
for longer than 6 months at a time.
Dosage: 500 mg 3 times daily, on an empty stomach. Take with water or
juice. Do not take with milk. Take with 50 mg vitamin B6 and 100 mg vitamin C
for better absorption.
Vitamin B
complex
Important for immune function and healing.
Dosage: 50 mg of each major B vitamin 3 times daily.
Extra vitamin
B3 (niacin)
Deficiencies of niacin have been linked to mouth sores.
Dosage: 50-100 mg 3 times daily. Do not exceed this amount.
Caution: Do not take niacin if you have a liver disorder, gout, or high
blood pressure.
Pantothenic
acid (vitamin B5)
Necessary for adrenal function.
Dosage: 50-100 mg 3 times daily.
Vitamin B12
Dosage: 1,000-2,000 mcg daily, on an empty stomach.
Folic acid
Dosage: 400 mcg daily.
Vitamin C with
bioflavonoids
Fights infection and boosts the immune system.
Dosage: 3,000-8,000 mg daily, in divided doses.
Zinc lozenges
Enhances immune function and aids healing.
Dosage: 1 15-mg lozenge every 3 waking hours for 2 days. Do not exceed a
total of 100 mg daily. Take with 3 mg copper.
Calcium
Dosage: 1,000 mg
Aqueous
colloidal silver
Dosage: 1 tsp. daily
Garlic
Acts as a natural antibiotic and immunostimulant.
Dosage: 3 Capsules 3 times daily.
