There Are Many Things You Can Do to Relieve and Prevent Mouth (Canker) Sores

Canker sores are small lesions in the mouth that unfortunately cause great pain! They often last a few weeks, but there are many approaches that you can add to your family’s ‘natural medicine chest’ to ease the pain, speed healing and prevent reoccurrence. 

It’s important to note that canker sores and cold sores look quite similar, but respond to different treatments.

• Cold sores are very contagious (they are outbreaks of the herpes virus); they tend to present on the hard part of the gums, and the ‘dry’ part of the lips. Another clue is that they tend to reoccur at exactly the same spot each time.

• Canker sores are are not contagious; and they don’t usually occur on the outer surface of the lips. They are shallow, oval ulcers that develop at the base of the gums or on the soft tissues inside the mouth. They tend to be small and light colored; they start with a red dot and progress to a vesicle with a white head. 

Common causes of canker sores

• Acidic conditions

• Food allergies or reactions - to sugar, salty junk foods, tomatoes, orange juice, or a specific food group.

• Vitamin deficiencies (esp. B12, which may lead to folate deficiency)

• Small cuts (sharp tooth, sharp food, dental appliances)

• Certain medicines

When there’s a mouth sore:

• Avoid acidic foods which are very irritating, such as citrus, sugar, chocolate, and drinks with caffeine.

• Use a straw for liquids and eat soft foods if the mouth feels too sensitive for chewing.

• Swish a dilution of 1 tsp baking soda to 8 oz water; this reduces acidity in the mouth and promote healing of irritated tissues.

You may be able to shorten the healing time by treating immediately upon first complaint.

Homeopathic Remedies

Unless one of the remedies is a strong match for the specific symptoms, I suggest starting with Mercurius sol. When there is improvement, reduce or pause dosing. Remember, homeopathy is stimulating the body’s healing process, NOT providing a medicine causing an action. Think of it like a pendulum of healing, once it’s moving in the desired direction, lighten up. Generally, dosing could be 4x/day up to 5 days, or as directed.

• Arsenicum 6c – Mouth dry and burning; ulcers soothed by warm water.

• Mercurius sol 200c – Acute inflammation of mucus membranes, ulcers mainly on tongue; open sores sting and burn. This would be the first remedy I’d suggest trying. (2x/day up to 3 days.)

• Nat Mur 12x - Suggested in one volume, but not confirmed by others; usually used at first sign of a cold with clear mucus.

• Nitricac 6c – Mainly on soft palate, feels ‘like a sharp splinter.’

Herbals

• Aloe Vera – Swish food grade aloe vera juice in mouth to soothe.

• Sage – Drink tea for all sorts of gum and ulcerated mouth issues, inflammation of tongue, or canker sores. “Sage is not appropriate in active, excited conditions,” states Mathew Wood.

• Licorice root is a demulcent, which can coat and seal mucus membranes.

  • Tea – 2x/day, soothes warm or cold.

  • Paste - Cover sores with a paste of the powdered root.

  • Chew - Dried licorice root stick (NOT candy!)

  • Licorice Solid Extract (Wise Women Herbal) is recommended by an Indigo Forest reader, and it sounds super effective. 

  • *Licorice may not be appropriate with pregnancy or hypertension.

Immune System Support

• Echinacea and goldenseal combination could be used to boost the immune system – spread a daily dose (as per bottle directions for weight) into several doses throughout the day.

• Vitamin C with BioFlavonoids, which is a powerful antioxidant and actively helps in all healing.

• Vitamin B-12, a deficiency is implicated in those with canker sores.

  • Being deficient in vitamin B12 has a direct impact on your ability to absorb folate, which could also therefore be low.

• If there is a frequent pattern of mouth sores, look to GI issues, diet, immunity, and anything that may be cutting the mouth.  In such cases, Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child suggests boosting your child’s immune system with one dose of zinc (chewable) three times per week with a meal, for two months. 5 milligrams zinc lozengers can be soothing to an active lesion, up to three/day and always with food to avoid nausea.

If you have family members prone to canker sores, I suggest ordering the homeopathic Mercurius sol 200c and one of the herbals to have on hand for immediate use in future episodes. The sufferer will usually be able to help pinpoint their trigger, empowering them to minimize their risk in the future. Happy healing!