Shallow and painful, canker sores, or apthous ulcers, occur on the inside of lips and cheeks, under the tongue and at the base of the gums. Although anyone can develop canker sores, women and people in their teens and 20s tend to get them more often, according to FamilyDoctor.org. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. Some people turn to home remedies to reduce the pain and speed the healing of canker sores.
Paste
To cover and protect a canker sore, MayoClinic.com suggests using a paste made of baking soda and water, or applying a dab of Milk of Magnesia a few times each day. FamilyDoctor.org says a cotton swab should be used to dry the sore before applying the treatment directly to the sore with a fresh swab.
Mouth Rinses
To speed healing of a canker sore, a mouth rinse can be made with household ingredients. MayoClinic.com recommends a salt water rinse made from a mix of half water and half hydrogen peroxide, or a teaspoon of baking soda in half a cup of water. The patient should rinse and spit out these preparations, being careful not to swallow them.
Tea Bags and Herbs
Discovery Health lists several suggestions for direct application to the canker sore. A wet tea bag applied to the sore helps to dry it out, they say. Powdered dried sage leaves or the juice from an aloe plant are other possibilities.
Diet
Certain foods can irritate canker sores, increasing the pain and interfering with the normal speed of healing. MayoClinic.com recommends that people with a canker sore avoid very spicy foods, rough or sharp-textured foods such as taco shells or potato chips, or foods and drinks that have a lot of acid, including pineapples, grapefruit and oranges or orange juice. Discovery Health recommends eating cool or cold foods and drinking cranberry juice to dull pain and speed healing. Simply sucking ice chips can help with the pain as well.
Brushing Teeth
When brushing teeth, it is best to avoid toothpastes and mouth rinses that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, counsels MayoClinic.com. They also recommend using a soft toothbrush and toothpaste that does not contain foaming agents.
