Table of Contents
Canker Sore Remedies
DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
STOP USING MOUTHWASH!
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[YEA] 11/24/2009: Kevin from Seattle, Wa writes: "Found out that I kept getting canker sores and versions of thrush from using mouthwashes. If you have c- sores and gargle with off the shelf mouth washes, try stopping for a few days. worked for me."
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SUPPLEMENTS
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[YEA] 12/12/2011: Connie from Slc, Utah, Usa writes: "Hi All ; It's been a 45 yr. search for me. I hope to shorten your suffering. I'll just give you the answer first, or the one that worked for me. Folate/Folic Acid. I need extra, more than the RDA of 400 mcg. , I need 800 mcg. daily in a supplement.
Canker sores are a common sign of B12 deficiency, so that's another supplement to consider, especially when one takes Folate, because they are interdependent. Sublinguals are easier for the body to use than oral types. I take large quantities, but I believe most people may need less. Supplements work best when we find our own numbers. My guess is that most people will respond to 500-1000 mcg. daily.
Zinc is another supplement that is suggested for canker sores. The RDA is approx. 15 mg. Daily. When I look at the zinc content of foods, it seems difficult to consume that amount, so I supplement with it, 15mg. 2-3 times weekly. But I'm considering a test just to see if I'm in the range somewhere.
Folate may also help with other lesions/ulcerations along the GI tract, I've read.
I wish I could give this information to my 10 yr. old self, when I lay crumpled on the bathroom floor with a stick of silver nitrate that only made the pain worse...."
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TEA BAGS
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[YEA] 12/09/2008: Craig from PORTLAND, OR writes: "Has anyone ever heard of using tea leaves to resolve a canker sore? I have tried it in the past and it has worked and I was wondering if anyone else had used this technique."
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[YEA] Brijette from Bettendorf, Iowa writes: "My husband told me to put a tea bag on my canker sore. It definitely took away the pain! As for curing it, I think it speeded up the process. The tea bag remedy is good for any type of mouth sores because of the pain relieving effect. I usually use black tea, simply because that's what I have around most of the time. Green tea also works, and I'm sure any kind will probably do the trick. It is not necessary to steep the tea first, however it does work better if the bag is already wet before applying. If the strong taste is too much for you, drinking brewed tea also works if you swish it around over the canker sore while you drink it. However, it's been my experience that the tea bag directly on the sore is much more effective."
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[YEA] Brenda writes: "First, the tea bag, was very helpful in the healing process it definitely made the pain disappear in minutes as for the peroxide,i would use this as a last resort, but it does work! The tea bag was very successful! try it! it most definitely works! Use the peroxide as a last resort!"
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TEA TREE OIL
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[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 09/09/2010: Heidi from Van Nuys, Ca, Usa writes: "Yay - My second painful canker sore just showed up yesterday, and last night it woke me up from my sleep. I tried dobbing some tea tree oil on it with a q-tip, and the pain was immediately eased enough to get back to sleep. I don't know if it will help speed the healing, but it does certainly help a great deal with the pain!"
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THC
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[YEA] Chris from Minneapolis, Mn writes: "Stop a herpes outbreak: THC, the active ingredient in marijuana kills the herpes virus. It stops the pain of a canker sore on contact. You do not need to smoke or get high at all, just put a pinch into rubbing alcohol and apply with a q-tip."
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TOOTHPASTE
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[YEA] 08/13/2009: Dale from Arroyo Grande, California writes: "I have suffered all my life with constant canker sores in my mouth. I have found a prevention. I have tried everything - all the over the counter treatments - canker sore toothpaste - canker sore mouthwash - paste - patches - perscription meds - ALL OF IT and none really worked untill I stumbled on a real answer. THE REAL ANSWER is to use _____ MINT TOOTHPASTE for sensitive teeth. I found this totally by accident. After 55 years I found it by asking my dentist about a tooth that was sensitive to cold and he advised that I use ____ toothpaste. I did and since I had always had canker sores I noticed within a week that they were all gone. I haven't had a canker sore in over a year now. I do all the bad things you can't do with canker sores now. I enjoy soft drinks, eat citrus fruit, chew gum, eat walnuts, eat pinapple. I contacted the makers of _____ and they aren't interested in promoting their product for this application - I was so mad. No wonder people suffer with different things - no one is really interested in a cure. I have promoted this idea to all my family and friends and all have the same success. PLEASE - PLEASE - PLEASE pass this on. From someone that suffered all my life - this really changed my life."
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[YEA] 09/29/2006: Michael from Huntington Beach, CA writes: "Placing a dab of toothpaste on a canker sore inside the mouth will reduce the pain and heal the sore quicker. This is a remedy my mother has known since she was a child in Belgium."
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TOOTHPASTE WITHOUT SLS
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[YEA] 05/20/2009: Kristin from Salt Lake City, UT writes: "SLS-free toothpaste eliminated my canker sores. I was getting numerous canker sores each month, sometimes several at a time.
I tried canker sore gels. They eliminate the pain temporarily but not the sore itself.
I tried baking soda. That seemed to help shorten the duration a bit was very painful for about 5 minutes. Similarly, apple cider vinegar was painful and seemed to cause a slight improvement in symptoms but didn't eliminate the sores.
I tried a pinch of alum, which also stung to apply and really pickled my lips. I coudln't determine whether that helped much either.
Finally, I bought SLS-free toothpaste 6 months ago. I haven't had a full-blown canker sore since! I think 1 or 2 may have thought about starting during that time, but each time they went away without forming or causing pain."
09/01/2010: Dale from Kearney, Nebraska replies: "Definitely! I regularly got canker sores and even once had a large lesion on the inside of my cheek and swollen lymph glands (I had the habit of holding my toothbrush in my mouth while I attended to something else before I finished brushing). I used baking soda to brush with for awhile and that was fine (sweet aftertaste, too :-), but no fluoride or polishing. Then I discovered the SLS connection and bought the SLS free brand (lousy aftertaste ;-p). They also make a sensitive teeth product-you can get it at Amazon. It's been several months now without a canker sore."
[YEA] 11/10/2011: Whitmire8 from Whitmire, Sc - South Carolina replies: "Definitely a winner... My mouth ulcers decreased by 75%... Downside is the price however, it's worth the money to be free of the pain that comes with the ulcers."
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[YEA] 02/07/2008: Randi from LA, CA writes: "I suffered from the time I was a child. My mother has the same and now my kids also suffer. about 5 years ago my Dentist told me about recent findings on the link between Sodium Lauryl Sulfite and canker sores. This is a preservative found in almost ALL name brand toothpastes including some of the natural ones. I started using a SLS free Toothpaste and now I get one maybe once or twice per year (and that is usually if my hubby has brushed right before I kiss him). One brand I use is called ____. Very expensive, but worth it. You must be loyal and never use any toothpastes or mouthwashes with S.L. Sulfite. Good Luck"
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[YEA] 01/24/2008: Christina from Cambridge, MA writes: "Please please PLEASE try this. It really works. I suffered from multiple outbreaks of canker sores for years and now am down to one or two per year. ____ makes a toothpaste called _____ that is free of the ingredient Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. This ingredient causes canker sores in many. Try this toothpaste, just once (it costs around $7.99 but lasts forever and is well worth it) and you will see a huge difference."
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[YEA] 11/27/2006: Anonymous writes: "I have had really bad canker sores my entire life. None of the ideas listed here ever worked for me and all of the over the counter meds that you get only made the duration of the sore longer. The ONLY thing that helps me is toothpaste without Sodium Laurel Solphate (sls) - ____. The toothpaste is the best. I also got a paste from my doctor that lessens the severity and the duration."
Replies12/16/2008: Carri from Greenville, SC replies: "The only brand that doesn't have SLS is a specific flavor of ____. I can't remember the flavor but read the ingredients. There is an ingredient like it, but not it just be careful it doesn't say Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. I have used the ______ and it gives me horrible canker sores though it does not have SLS. I think it's the Sodium Saccrin in it, not sure. The only thing I've found that doen't make me get them is the _____. And you have to hunt for it. Hope this helps someone!!"
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[YEA] 10/03/2006: Marta from Livermore, CA writes: "First, I use a toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate , second I use Clobetasol propionate ointment 0.05% this is by prescription only. This cures canker sores in their tracks. Twice a day usually for only two days and they are gone. I use a q tip for application."
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[YEA] 05/18/2006: Scottie from Pelham TN writes: "Use Toothpaste and Mouthwash without Sodium Lauryl sulfate! I get canker sores, sorry did get them if I bit my lip or cut a gum on chips or something. Two weeks of pain! Now I don't get them at all even after a bite or cut gum. I read this cure in some blogs here and there. I started buying ____ toothpaste and mouthwash and this prevents canker sores. I never get them now and I love it!"
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TURMERIC
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[YEA] 10/21/2008: Debbie from East Moriches, NY writes: "Turmeric for Canker Sores/Cold Sores
Recently read in Rebecca Wood's "The New Whole Food Encyclopedia" about using turmeric for canker sores. I have low iron which occassionally gives me canker sores so I was searching for a home remedy. Take an 1/8 tsp. of turmeric and just enough drops of water to make a thick paste. Put directly on canker sore before bed and it will be gone by morning. Works well on cold sores too. Beware that turmeric will stain the skin a little (no big deal). I've been referring to this website for years and am glad that I have something to offer back."
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UNLIT MATCH
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[YEA] 06/26/2008: Donna from Garnerville, NY writes: "I tried this last night and I'm shocked at how well it works!! When you hold the match head on the sore, it HURTS like you want to SCREAM, but when you're done, the pain practically disappears. The next day, the sore is significantly less painful and it has started to heal."
Replies06/28/2008: Daisy from NY, NY replies: "As I was reading this post, I had a swollen zit near my chin. I know, gross. It is/was the kind with a center that won't come out until IT is ready to. So I found a pack of matches and I applied the tip of one to the zit (yes, it was kind of open because I can't leave them alone!) I could feel a little burning, nothing major. Checked it out the next day and it had shrunk and was not painful to the TOUCH anymore. Thank you for this suggestion!! Now, does anyone know of any acne medicine that contains sulfer so I don't have to walk around with matches stuck to my face? LOL"
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[YEA] 04/28/2008: Dee from Chicago, IL writes: "Holding an unlit matchhead directly onto the white center of the canker sore always helps to take the pain out and heal the sore more quickly. The white material is actually absorbed by the matchhead. It stings very badly, but I hold it on as long as I can stand it, then repeat 3 or 4 times. This has something to do with the sulfur in the matches, so make sure not to get the new kind that are sulfur-free."
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VINEGAR AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
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[YEA] 06/20/2007: Precious from Austin, TX writes: "Vinegar and Peroxide (mouth sores) I learned from my mother to treat mouth sores (whether a bit lip/tongue or a cold sore) with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar (any type of vinegar seems to work okay, but Apple Cider is the best and most palatable). I have always used this remedy, and nothing else has ever worked. I've tried many OTC remedies and none relieve the pain AND speed the healing process like this mixture. What I want to know is... why doesn't H2O2 alone have as good an effect? Some people seem to swear by it, but it has never been as effective when I tried it alone."
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WASABI
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[YEA] 01/30/2010: Stargene from Ben Lomond, Ca writes: "For decades I'd suffered from canker sores (aka: aphthous ulcers) inside my mouth. A dental study of Japanese communities revealed that their low dental plaque was due to compounds called isothiocyanates in wasabi, the green radish paste. Since that time, 12 years ago, I have not had a SINGLE canker sore, even though I still abrade my mouth, gum and inner lips as much as ever, because every day I brush my teeth using ~1 part wasabi to ~3-4 parts toothpaste, ANY toothpaste.
The wasabi actually inhibits bacteria from attaching to mouth surfaces using their plaque! This is an actual preventive which works."
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[YEA] 02/06/2007: Paul from Mountain View, CA writes: "After years of suffering from painful mouth ulcers (Canker sores) and trying several unsuccessful natural cures, wasabi did the trick. I stumbled on this cure accidentally, but have used it successfully for the last 2 years. At the first sign of sores, I eat wasabi chips or wasabi peas and the development of the ulcers are arrested and they are completely gone in 12-36 hours. Usually just a handful of chips a couple of times a day does the trick. I have also tried wasabi mayonnaise and straight wasabi. They do work well; but the combination of the wasabi and salt in the chips and peas seems to work best. I know it sounds crazy, but try it! Just make sure the wasabi comes in contact with affected area for a minute or two. What used to cause 7-10 days of agony on a regular basis, is now barely a ripple in my life. I don't know if it will work for all types of mouth ulcers, but it worked for mine."
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WATER
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[YEA] 12/16/2007: al from Belleville, canada writes: "hi I appreciate your website I as well am subject to canker sores on my toung,especially when my body gets very acidic. So I cut out heavy spices and started drinking 2-1/2 pitchers of water every day in a week no more cankers try it."
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WATER PULLING
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[YEA] 03/20/2010: Msg from Somewhere, Europe writes: "i tried oil pulling with water instead of oil. i have been having recurrent canker sores for the past 3 years. after a week of "water pulling" they are greatly reduced. i spit out the water when it gets too much volume, and just continue with new water. i drink after cleaning my mouth when i'm done pulling."
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YERBA BUENA
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[YEA] 05/31/2006: Monica from Norwalk, CA writes: "When I get a canker sore, I chew yerba buena (mint leaf) with salt and leave it pressed up against the canker sore. Hurts like a mother, but I notice a difference."
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YOGURT
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[YEA] 01/01/2011: Whitney from Livonia, Mi writes: "Years ago a friend of mine had a mouth full of canker sores. Everything the dr gave her never worked includin lanicaine, she couldn't talk or function. After months of going through this we tried natural home remidies and found out it was great. Yogurt, the kind that has fruit on the bottom, the kind you stir to mix up, this activates the live cultures in it to soothe the pain and get to the real problem. Which is a intestinal flura upset. Yogurt balances all this out and within eating 1 to 2 or three a day all canker sores will be gone within 24 to 48 hours. I have recomdend this to other friends and even did this with my girls when they were little, worked everytime. The best thing about this is anyone from babies to adults can eat this, and is so much cheaper than a dr appointment and perscriptions that aren't always going to work. Good luck to everyone. And I hope you find this helpful."
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