Imagine if everything you put into your mouth caused unbearable irritation. In the worst cases, some mouth sores can prevent a person from completely eating and drinking. Luckily, home remedies for mouth ulcers can provide instant relief.
15 Home Remedies for Mouth Ulcer
What is a Mouth Ulcer
A mouth ulcer is a sore or open lesion inside the mouth – the small white spot that forms on the inside of the cheek, the tongue or clustered on the inner side of the lip. Mouth ulcers are also referred to as a canker sore. Some people are more susceptible to mouth ulcers than others, including patients battling an underlying disease or a young adult with particular lifestyle habits
Causes and Symptoms
Causes of mouth ulcers include viral infections, minor injuries to the mouth, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, stress, and consumption of spicy or acidic foods. Biting your cheeks and lips can also produce a mouth ulcer. Nutritional deficiencies are also connected to mouth ulcers, especially when you are lacking vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, and vitamin C. Some people develop a mouth ulcer when they suffer digestion problems, such as indigestion and acute acidity. Mouth ulcers can also be a hereditary condition.
Common signs and symptoms of mouth ulcers include:
• Pain when drinking, eating, swallowing, and talking
• Excessive salivation
• Bad breath
• Inflamed throat and tonsils
• Mild fever
• Bleeding (in severe cases)
Mouth Ulcer Home Remedies
Oral lesions can hinder your everyday activities and if you want instant relief, consider the following home remedies for mouth ulcers:
a) Hydrogen Peroxide Mixture:
Add two ounces of hydrogen peroxide and one teaspoon each of salt and baking soda to two ounces of water. Use this solution as a rinse for mouth ulcers. Do not swallow this home remedy. You can also use hydrogen peroxide as a spot treatment for mouth ulcers. Create a solution out of equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water. Dip a Q-tip into the mixture and directly apply to ulcers.
b) Vitamin B:
If you develop mouth ulcers because of stress, increasing your intake of vitamin B can help. You can take a vitamin supplement or add more vitamin-B rich foods to your diet, such as beef, tuna, oats, bananas, potatoes, turkey, avocado, and Brazil nuts.
c) Mouthwash:
Gargle daily with an antiseptic mouthwash, such as Listerine, to treat mouth ulcers, as well as prevent the bad smell that may develop as a result of an infected mouth sore.
d) Tomato Juice:
Some people have treated the symptoms of their mouth ulcers with daily consumption of tomato juice.
e) Orange Juice:
If you have a mouth ulcer because of a vitamin C deficiency, start drinking orange juice with your meals.
f) Yogurt:
Yogurt contains acidophilus bacteria, which can heal and prevent new mouth ulcers from developing. Other dairy products to consider for mouth ulcers include buttermilk and cottage cheese.
g) Water:
Alternately gargle with hot and cold water to encourage the healing of mouth ulcers.
h) Green Leafy Vegetables:
Increase your consumption of green leafy vegetable to treat mouth sores.
i) Raw Salad:
Eat raw salads with your meals when battling a mouth ulcer. Add raw onions, which contain sulfur – known as an effective treatment.
j) Honey and Coconut:
Treat affected gums with a mixture of honey and coconut milk. Apply using a gentle massage technique. Follow this home remedy for mouth ulcers three times per day.
k) Toothpaste:
Gain quick relief from mouth ulcers by applying toothpaste several times a day.
l) Avoid Spicy Foods:
Spices, such as cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce, can aggravate mouth ulcers.
m) Avoid Sharp Edges:
Foods with sharp edges, such as potato chips or toast, can brush against a mouth ulcer and cause irritation.
n) Avoid Triggers:
There are certain foods and lifestyle habits that may contribute to the formation and worsening of pre-existing mouth ulcers. Foods known to irritate mouth ulcers include lemons, oranges, pineapple, grapefruit, plums, tomatoes, cherries, walnuts, vinegar, and chocolate. Other factors to consider include smoking tobacco, drinking coffee, chewing gum, and sucking on lozenges.
o) Peppermint Oil:
If you should have peppermint oil in your cabinet, apply to mouth ulcers to gain relief from pain and irritation.