Canker sores are tiny lesions found inside the mouth, usually around the tongue, cheeks and gums. Also called aphthous ulcers, they can have many causes, including injury, allergies, bacteria or gastrointestinal disease. Conventional treatment may include oral antibiotics and steroids, but these can have unpleasant side effects. Canker sores can be treated at home with herbal mouthwashes, tinctures and teas. It is important to consult a health care professional before starting herbal therapy.
Tea Tree
Tea tree, or Melaleuca alternifolia, is an evergreen with white flowers native to Australia. Traditionally it is used topically to treat fungal infections, wounds and skin disorders. The essential oil contains terpenoids and has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral actions. Ben-Erik van Wyk and Michael Wink note that the diluted oil is used as a mouthwash to treat inflammation of the mucus membranes. "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" recommends applying tea tree oil directly on the canker sores during the day and at bedtime to speed healing. The book also advises using the diluted oil as a mouthwash and adding a few drops to toothpaste. Tea tree oil is for external use only and should not be swallowed.
Wintergreen
Wintergreen, or Gaultheria procumbens, is a woody shrub with white or pink flowers native to North America. The leaves and essential oil are used traditionally to treat muscle and joint pain, and stomach disorders. The active ingredient in wintergreen oil is methyl salicylate, which has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, and is found in commercial oral hygiene products. "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" recommends wintergreen mouthwash for its antiseptic action, and states that rubbing the oil on canker sores may provide temporary pain relief. Wintergreen oil may be toxic if taken internally, and may trigger a reaction in people who are allergic to aspirin.
Pau d'arco
Pau d'arco, or Tabebuia impetiginosa, is an evergreen tree with pale pink flowers native to Central and South America. Traditional healers use the bark to treat a range of disorders, including ulcers, malaria, rheumatism, boils, gastrointestinal diseases, upper respiratory diseases, cancer and fungal infections. The active ingredients are compounds called quinoids, which include anthraquinones, furanonaphthoquinones, lapachones and naphthoquinones, and the bark has astringent, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer properties. Ben-Erik van Wyk and Michael Wink state that the naphthoquinones have analgesic action and stimulate the immune system, even in low concentrations. "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" recommends using pau d'arco tea during a canker sore outbreak as a blood cleanser and to guard against infection. Pau d'arco should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women, or in large doses.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, M.D.; 2000
- "Medicinal Plants of the World"; Ben-Erik van Wyk and Michael Wink; 2009
