Natural Remedies for Canker Sores | Home Treatments For Relief

Aloe Vera

Posted by Jordan (Binghamton) on 08/19/2005
★★★★★

Aloe Vera is very helpful in the healing process for canker sores, as is sodium lauryl sulfate elimination.

Tea Bags

Posted by Brijette (Bettendorf, Iowa)
★★★★★

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.

L-Lysine

Posted by Donnie (Spartanburg, SC)
★★★★★

A supplement called LYSINE helps to heal mouth sores faster, just take a 1-gram capsule 2 or 3 times a day.

Baking Soda

Posted by Natasha (Naples) on 05/24/2024

Please don't brush with Baking Soda. When the sore is healed, then you can brush with it for prevention, even then not every day. Swish your mouth with hydrogen peroxide solution or iodine solution. You can swish a baking soda SOLUTION as well, but not too concentrated.

Cloves

Posted by sylvain (Quebec) on 10/13/2023
★★★★★

For canker sore pain,

try a Qtip with clove oil, I can vouch that it will numb the pain for about an hour, that is the only thing I have found that helps at least temporarily.

Lavender Oil

Posted by Jean (Wheeling, iL) on 02/29/2020
★★★★★

Lavender essential oil will heal both canker and cold sores. I put some on my finger and apply 3 or 4 times a day. Works in no time.

Baking Soda

Posted by David (Hong Kong ) on 04/01/2018
★★★★☆

Thanks for those sharing about the baking soda remedy, I have been bothered with several canker sore in my mouth and cheeks in the last few days and they were very painful and have lost my appetite in eating. After trying a few solutions, they didn't really work for me and out of desperation, I applied some baking soda paste over the sores last night, while they haven't gone away, it did reduce the level of pain and hopefully they wil go away soon. Big thanks for sharing!

Oil Pulling

Posted by Arnezi (Spokane, Wa ) on 05/27/2016
★★★★★

I get huge canker sores that are extremely painful sometimes, and this last one I swished coconut oil 1 tablespoon with 1 drop of oregano essential oil for 10 minutes in my mouth and then spit it in the trash. The pain was gone. I did this 2x a day for 2 days and it was gone. I was so happy I found something that worked.

Salt

Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 10/11/2015
★★★★★

Just tried the salt-on-canker-sores. I had read that it is to be put on every 15 minutes.

So I dabbed a bit of Celtic Salt on it every 15 minutes, for as long as I could stand (about 10 seconds) before rinsing my mouth . At the hour and a quarter point, meaning 5 applications, the skin there started feeling a bit rough, so I stopped, and now it feels much better!

Camphor Spirit

Posted by Jan (Ft Lauderdale, Fl) on 04/08/2015
★★★★★

For canker sores, I use spirit of camphor dabbed on a q-tip and placed on the sore. It heals within a few days and takes away the pain. Also organic raw honey placed on the sore, and it is gone the next day or two.

Papaya Leaf Tea

Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 06/13/2014
★★★★★

Having read Dave from Fountain Inn's brave experiments with Papaya (in the name of science, of course. (Have you lost those extra pounds, or are they there as a living testament to your brave pioneering spirit??!! ) I discovered a bag of Papaya leaf tea here and decided to try it for recurring Canker Sores. After waiting for three outbreaks, all of which were cured with the tea, I am happy to report that fact here. The relief from pain takes about 2 days of 1-2 teas daily (1 tsp. tea leaves in a cup of boiling water. Either boiled for a bit, or just left to steep) and the cure depends on how strictly I stay away from my triggers (certain baked goods, bananas and more than my tolerance level of citrus).

Baking Soda

Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 06/02/2013

Jj, to immediately reduce/eliminate pain from a canker sore, coating it with Coconut Oil, helps for me. I don't know if it cures it, but it's calming action is instant for me!

Probiotics

Posted by Jnell (Lumby, Bc, Canada) on 04/14/2013
★★★★★

Probiotics for Mouth Ulcers: This is so painful at first, if you're dealing with a large ulcer, but it works everytime. Open up your probiotic capsule(s) 1 or 2 is good, pour onto a dish, add only a few drops of water at a time to form a kind of paste, then, using clean hands, use your index finger to scoup up some of the paste and push it up into the sore. Try and keep from swallowing for a bit (you'll get a little drooly) between 2 and 5 minutes is good, but the longer the better I suppose. You want to do this 3 or 4 times/day.... but I've never had to do it for more then a day, once I had one about the size of a quarter on the roof of my mouth and that was nearly gone after the second treatment! It does hurt terribly bad, but only while your pushing the probiotics into the wound.

Oil Pulling

Posted by Eileen (Exton, Pa, Usa) on 05/03/2012
★★★★★

Yesterday I awoke to a painful bump on the inside of my right cheek. It felt like a pimple/ulcer and I knew this could get worse. So, I remember when I had a small white painful bump on my tongue a while back I tried oil pulling which healed it overnight. Why not for the inside of my mouth?! I used olive oil, swished for 20 minutes, rinsed w/ the warm salt water solution and I kid you not, when I went to feel the bump with my tongue, it was gone--and so was the pain--that instantly! (I actually could feel the pain subsiding as I was swishing. ) Oil pulling is now my go-to for ANYTHING concerning the mouth!! :)

Cayenne

Posted by Gavin (Manganui, Northland, New Zealand) on 01/17/2012
★★★★★

I think cayenne must be a good antibiotic.. I had these sores at the side of my mouth and thought that I'd try a bit of creative thinking.. I mixed a third cayenne a third tumeric and a third coconut oil (ev. ) gave it a good stir. Then rubbed a bit either side of my mouth before bed.. It stung at first.. When I checked in the morning I noticed a blanched ulcer.. Which is a good sign as it means the infection or whatever it was, was nailed... After three dabs over a twenty four hour period, the stinging stopped and the ulcer was shrunk to half the size it started out at. And looks healthy. Its healing so well I thought I'd post.

Constipation Link to Canker Sores

Posted by Spiderhawk (Houston, Texas) on 10/31/2012
★★★★★

Interesting! I was wondering why I had a painfull canker sore appear under my tounge and after reading your post, it dawned on me that as a result of taking pain medication, I have been constipated for about two weeks now. I am going to rinse with baking soda and drink some baking soda as well. I have always had success drinking baking soda to relieve constapation.

Constipation Link to Canker Sores

Posted by Cody (Fort Worth, Texas) on 11/27/2012
★★★★★

Wow that's crazy, everytime I can ever think of the canker sores I got and currently have is all when I was not on a regular bathroom schedule. Vacation- canker sores appear, too busy... Canker sores appear. You're on to something, because the last 4 times would if this is true, all be for the lack of regular bowel movements!

Baking Soda

Posted by Asw (Houston, Tx) on 10/07/2011
★★★★★

Using baking soda worked for me. I had a canker sore that kept getting worst despite the fact I was applying hydrogen peroxide. So I looked online and saw that baking soda also worked as a treatment for some. I applied baking soda once or twice a day for three days and it completely healed the sore.

Alkalize

Posted by Cheese Head (Madison, Wisconsin) on 07/01/2011
★★★★★

Alum etc are cures for an outbreak of canker sores. The underlying factor is an acid ph. Try your Apple Cider Vinegar with a half teaspoon of baking soda 3 times per day or use a highly alkalizing food such as green magma.... 2 tsp in water 3 times per day and you will get rid of the current outbreak and not get them any more. Stay off of acid foods like white flour, sugar and you'll be rid of them for good. Thanks to Ted and all at earth clinic, , , , The cheese head..