11 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Canker Sores
Apthous stomatitis, more commonly known as canker sores, are mysterious
mouth ulcers that have plagued most people at some point in their
lives. I say “mysterious” because it’s not totally known what causes
these pesky painful spots on the inside of the mouth, although biting
your cheek/inside of your lip, braces rubbing, stress, genetics, and a
malfunctioning immune response are all possible contributors.Starting as a red patch of oval skin, they’ll typically become increasingly inflamed and develop a white or yellow-ish spot in the middle. Now, how to get rid of canker sores? With a handful of natural ingredients, it’s not difficult to find ways to soothe the pain they cause (and make it so you can chew your food normally and talk without a lisp, which are also important things to consider.)
1. DIY Numbing Spray
Peppermint and eucalyptus essential oil both have anti-inflammatory
properties, while also possibly working as anti-microbial agents (thus
reducing chance of infection.) astringents to help tighten the tissues
around the wound, relieving further discomfort caused by swelling or
potential fluid buildup. The cooling properties of both of these oils
can also numb the nerve endings that are firing off.
You will need…
-2 tablespoons of olive or grapeseed oil-10 drops of peppermint essential oil
-8 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
-A glass mister bottle
Directions
Pour the olive or grapeseed oil into a glass mister bottle, and add
the essential oils. Cap, shake well, and spray some directly onto the
canker sore as needed for pain relief. Shake before each use.
You will need…
-1 bag of chamomile tea, or a tablespoon of dried flowers wrapped in cheesecloth-Fresh water
Directions
Soak the chamomile in water for 1 minute or so if using a teabag, and
3-4 if using dried flowers. After soaking place it directly against the
sore for 5-10 minutes twice daily to help relieve discomfort and
promote speedy healing.
3. Swish Sage
Sage is an herb from the evergreen shrub, Salvia officinalis, in the
mint family. It used widely in the culinary world, and has also been
prevalent in homeopathic medicine and home remedies for years. Native
American’s used sage long before modern medicine to help cleanse the
mouth, and to heal the painful ulcers that we now know as canker sores.
You will need…
-A handful of fresh sage OR 2 teaspoons dried sage-4-8 ounces of fresh water
Directions
If you are using dried sage, boil your water and allow the herb to
infuse for 10 minutes. Swish the water, and the herb, in your mouth for 1
minute before spitting it out and rinsing with plain cold water. You
can also make a tea-type rinse with fresh leaves, but I prefer the
following method.Place your sage leaves in an airtight glass jar in a cool dark place and allow them to infuse for 24 hours. Swish the liquid (sans the sage) in your mouth for 1 minute. Lightly pound the soft, moist leaves to a pulp and then place the pulp directly over the sore for 5 minutes. Rinse with plain cold water.
4. Coconut Oil
When in doubt, use coconut oil! Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and
also incredibly tasty, coconut oil is almost fail-safe when it comes to
getting rid of canker sores.
You will need…
-Coconut oil
Directions
Using clean hands or a cotton swab, dab a liberal amount of coconut
oil onto the sore. Try to get a somewhat thick layer or clump on
there-coconut oil melts rapidly and a thin layer just seems to slide
right off. If you feel like you really can’t get it to stick, melt 1
tablespoon down with ½ teaspoon or so of beeswax to thicken it.
5. Clove Oil Cotton Ball
Clove oil contains eugenol, a potent painkiller, and has been used by
dentists throughout decades to bring relief to patients. All those
old-time depictions you see of dentists with giant pliers and their
patients appearing to be in agony? They clearly forgot the clove oil.
Eugenol is still used today, although in a pure extracted form, but
clove oil remains useful for oral pain ranging from toothaches to canker
sores.
You will need…
-1/2 teaspoon of olive oil-4-5 drops of clove essential oil
-Cotton balls
-Warm water/salt water
Directions
Swish your mouth with warm water or salt water to get the area clean,
allowing the clove oil to really sink in and do its job. Mix the clove
oil with the olive oil and then soak a cotton ball in it. Apply the
cotton ball directly to the sore for 5-8 minutes for numbing relief. 
6. Honey Rub
With its antibacterial, and potentially anti-inflammatory,
properties, raw organic honey makes a wonderfully soothing coating for a
painful canker sore.
You will need…
-A wee dab of organic raw honey-Warm water
Directions
Swish some warm water in your mouth, and then apply a thick dab of
organic raw honey directly to the sore. Reapply 2-3 times daily (at
least one of those times should be before night, as it seems to do best
when you aren’t bothering it by talking or eating.)
7. Wax Cap
If you have a sore that keeps rubbing against your tooth, or if you
have braces and or dentures that are irritating the sore, putting a
little wax “capping” over the surface can help reduce irritating
friction against the sore and help speed up the healing time. If you are
placing this over braces, it’s important to make it thick enough that
it doesn’t just get ground into the brace and stuck.
You will need…
-1 tablespoon of beeswax-2 teaspoons of coconut oil
Directions
Melt down the beeswax and coconut oil and allow the mixture to cool
slightly. When it has cooled, gently press a dollop over the edge of
your tooth/braces/dentures to protect the canker sore from rubbing.
8. Cayenne “Cream”
Cayenne contains a substance called capsaicin, which is the same
chemical constituent that makes it “hot.” Capsaicin can inhibit
something called Substance P, which is responsible for mediating pain
responses in the body. Because of this, cayenne makes a great home
remedy for canker sores, even though it sounds like the opposite thing
you’d want to use!
You will need…
-Cayenne pepper-Warm water
-Cotton swabs
Directions
Mix just enough warm water with ground cayenne pepper to form a thick
paste. Use a cotton swab to apply directly to the canker sore. Reapply
2-3 times daily for pain relief.
9. Aloe Rinse
The king (or queen) of soothing plants-aloe! The gel from this
magnificent plant wields mighty powers when it comes to soothing not
just sunburn, but canker sores as well. Make sure you use natural
gel-not the green kind.
You will need…
-1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel-1 tablespoon of water
Directions
Stir the gel into the water and swish it gently over the sore 3 time’s day to ease the pain and facilitate healing.
10. Eat Yogurt
Yogurt is made from fermented milk-delicious, yes? It is produced by
bacterial fermentation, that is, using bacteria or yeast to convert
carbohydrates into organic acids. The result is a tangy bacteria rich
substance that is enjoyed worldwide. You most often hear of it restoring
a healthy balance to gut flora, but eaten daily yogurt may one of the
home remedies for canker sores you find yourself going to frequently.
It’s a simple healthy remedy that may help because it balances out
bacteria in your mouth which, if it was out of balance, may contribute
to or cause a canker sore.
You will need…
-Plain yogurt with live cultures
Directions
Make sure the label on the yogurt confirms that it contains live
cultures, and make sure you get plain-not vanilla! Eat at the very
minimum 1 tablespoon 3 times daily. I usually eat around a cup and add a
little bit of raw honey for taste and an extra healing boost!
11. Warm Salt Water
When the salt content around cells is greater on the outside than the
inside osmosis takes place, with water being drawn from in the cells to
help balance out the concentration. When water is drawn out, the
painful puffiness that excess fluid can cause is diminished. If you have
a canker sore that is really puffed up that keeps rubbing or that you
keep biting, gargling with salt water can help greatly. This is also why
salt water gargles help with a sore throat-reducing the painful
swelling of the cells in the mucous membrane at the back of the throat.
The warm water also produces a general sense of soothing relief, while
the salt may help keep the area clean.
You will need…
-1/4 cup of warm salt water-1/2 teaspoon of salt
Directions
Stir the salt into the warm water and swish it around in your mouth 3 times daily until the canker sore is gone.
Tips
- Try to avoid acidic foods when you have a canker sore, as they can
prolong healing. Some people find that acidic foods may trigger their
sores. Oddly, on the flip side, some anecdotal evidence suggests that a
bit of very acidic juice (e.g. lemon juice) can sometimes help. - Experiment with different home remedies for canker sores. Mix and match the ones on the list-for example, rinse with aloe and then follow up with the cayenne cream.
- Pay attention to your body-if you find yourself with canker sores breaking out every time you have a project deadline to meet, take time to yourself to relax. You deserve it.
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