Canker sores -- medically known as aphthous ulcers -- are shallow, painful lesions that occur inside your mouth. Doctors aren't sure exactly what causes canker sores; food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, immune system problems and stress may play a role. If your canker sore is unusually large, or so painful that it causes difficulty in eating or sleeping, the Mayo Clinic advises consulting your doctor. Some herbalists recommend garlic to alleviate canker sores. Scientific research support's garlic's anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects, which may help speed healing. Consult your doctor before using garlic.
Features
Garlic -- botanically known as Allium sativum -- is a perennial plant indigenous to central Asia, featuring long, narrow leaves and small pink or purple flowers that bloom from mid-summer to fall. The bulb, which is divided into 10 to 20 cloves weighing about a gram apiece, has been used for both food and medicine since about 2000 B.C. Traditional herbal uses included treating leprosy, upper respiratory infections and heart disease; physicians in the Middle Ages prescribed it for deafness, while soldiers were given garlic to prevent gangrene. Native Americans employed garlic to treat earaches and scurvy. Present-day herbalists advise garlic to treat atherosclerosis, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Constituents and Effects
The main active constituent in garlic is allicin, a sulfur-containing chemical. Released when garlic bulbs are crushed, allicin gives garlic not only its odor but its therapeutic effects. Garlic is also rich in assorted vitamins and minerals, including germanium and selenium.
Drugs.com, which provides peer-reviewed information to consumers, credits garlic with antioxidant effects, reporting it can help to scavenge free radicals that damage cell membranes. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that garlic can also help enhance the immune system. In addition, garlic has antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties, inhibiting the growth of such common pathogens as candida, E. coli, S. aureus and streptococcus in laboratory studies. Garlic's high levels of selenium also may help it boost the immune system; Health Care Clinic lists a deficiency of this trace mineral as a possible cause of canker sores.
Research
Garlic has its supporters in the scientific community as a treatment for canker sores. In an article published in 2008 in "Medical Hypotheses," the authors reported that allicin in garlic can decrease inflammation, inhibit bacteria, antagonize oxidation and regulate immunity. They proposed garlic as a possible candidate to control the pain and promote the healing of recurrent aphthous ulcers.
Usage and Considerations
Garlic can be taken as a food supplement in the amount of two to four minced cloves a day. It is also available in capsules as aged garlic extract; University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 600 to 1200 mg a day in divided doses. Side effects from fresh, raw garlic include the characteristic bad breath and body odor; garlic capsules, however, don't cause this effect. Garlic can also cause mild gastrointestinal effects such as nausea and flatulence. Ingestion of large amounts of garlic can cause changes in blood clotting and increase risk of bleeding after surgery. Garlic can interact with prescription medications. Consult your doctor before using garlic.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Garlic Information
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Garlic; UMMC Staff; November 2008
- Healthcare Clinic: Canker Sores and Fever Blisters in Children; Staff; 2011
- MayovClinic; Canker Sore; Mayo Clinic Staff Writer; April, 2011
- Healing Daily; Natural Treatments for Canker Sores; Staff; 2002
- "Medical Hypotheses"; A New Therapeutic Candidate For Oral Aphthous Ulcer: Allicin; Xiao-Wen Jiang et al.; September 2008
