Canker sores, also known as mouth ulcers, are white lesions that are formed inside the mouth, on the gums and tongue. Although, these sores are not contagious but they are very painful and annoying. They can occur on the inside of cheeks, under the tongue and base of gums. Doctors and researchers do not have a common opinion on the causes of canker sores but some reasons associated with them are injury to mouth, bacteria, autoimmune diseases, stress, improper digestion, menstrual periods, poor nutrition and food allergies.
According to researches, canker sores are more likely to affect women than men. Although, most of the canker sores will heal within one or two week without any medical attention yet there are few things which you can do to make sure that they heal quickly and relieve you from pain. Just follow the tips given below and you will get over it very soon.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 1-2 days
Resources Required:
- Anti-bacterial mouth wash
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Clove oil
- Papaya leaves
- Plum juice or hydrogen peroxide
Instructions:
1. Avoid citrus fruits and spicy food
- Maintain a distance from citrus fruits. The acids present in them can be very annoying and will cause a lot of pain.
- You must also avoid salty and spicy food items as they will just aggravate the problem.
2. Use good dental hygiene
- You must use mouth wash regularly, this helps to prevent canker sores from occurring. Brush your teeth, at least twice a day.
- Rinse your mouth with a solution of warm water and salt, three times in a day.
- You can also use plum juice or hydrogen peroxide as mouth wash. It will help to clean the canker sore, kill the bacteria and thus will help you to get rid of this problem soon.
3. Take the help of home remedies
- Apply clove oil to the canker sores, it will help you to relieve from pain. Chewing papaya leaves can also be very helpful in this case.
- Apply a paste of baking soda with water directly on canker sores once or twice in a day. But this can give you a stinging pain.
- Rinse your mouth with a solution made from mixing salt in vinegar. Use it three times in a day.
4. Consult your doctor
This step is necessary only if the pain from the canker sore is not tolerable and is taking a very long time to heal. In that case, you must consult your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to get rid of a canker sore on a child’s gum line?
Extra precaution needs to be taken when dealing with a child’s canker sore. You can do the following things in that case.
- Rinse his/her mouth properly with an antibacterial mouth wash to prevent the further growth of canker sore.
- Make paste of baking soda with water and apply it on the sore. This will form a protective layer on the gums and will prevent irritation.
- Application of an over-the-counter numbing agent like Orajel or Anbesol on the sore can help to treat pain.
- Refrain your child from acidic, salty or spicy food items as they will add to the pain.
Quick Tips:
- Drinking cranberry juice between meals can help to heal canker sores quickly.
- Sage tea is also very effective in the case of canker sores. With every sip, swish it around your mouth.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Toothpastes with sodium lauryl sulfate or SLS must be strictly avoided.
- Stress is one of the major reasons because of which the canker sores occur, therefore it’s always recommended to maintain a distance from factors that lead to stress.