The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Alum
Posted by Jennifer (USA) on 08/11/2006
★★★★★
I tried the alum as suggested for my canker sore. It was really sore and I couldn't take it so I decided to give this a try. I got it at the grocery store for about a dollar. I got the granulated stuff and just put a little pinch on the sore. I felt immediate relief after I rinsed. The pain has definitely lessened a lot overall and I am able to eat with little pain. It has only been about 12 hours since I did it. Another try and it might be completely better! Thanks!! PS it tastes bad and stings a little but definitely worth it.
Alum
Posted by Farooq (Cornwall, Ontario, canada) on 02/06/2012
★★★★★
I have been getting cankers since I moved to Canada. Have seen many many Doctors but nothing helped.
But then I read about sodium lauryl sulfate found in most of toothpastes was one of the reason for Cankers. I stopped using those toothpastes and thank God I do not get it very often, as I was use to get it about twice a month.
But once in a while I will get it. This time it was on my tongue I read it on this website about Alum and bought it from Food basics. Used it once and seems to be very helpful.
Alum
Posted by Teri (Denham Springs) on 08/09/2006
★★★★★
okay... I tried the ALUM yesterday for a canker sore I have on my upper lip and YES it burned like a mother but today it hardly hurts at all!! I have one on my tongue too but that one seems to still bother me... I am going to put the alum on it again today.. so with my fingers crossed I hope it will help that one too. I did have my drug store order me some Rembrant toothpaste without that SLS in it. The net rated that one the #1 choice. I'll try anything!
Alum
Posted by Dan (Dayton, Ohio) on 04/21/2006
★★★★★
I have used alum for canker sores for nearly 3 decades. The alum is usually found in the spice section of grocery stores. I have found from experience that the granulated version is much better than the powder, which often dissolves too quickly in your mouth to do the job properly. I have found the best method is to wet the end of a finger, then dip the finger into the alum granules. This should get quite a lot of them to stick to your finger. Then make sure that the canker sore is thoroughly wetted, and press the finger with the alum crystals against the sore. Hold it there for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. It also helps if you lay down while doing this, and orient the cold sore so that it is up, and not down. This helps keep the inevitable saliva from washing away the alum too quickly. I have found that if I don't lay down and do this, I often have to do the treatment twice. However, by doing this, often a single treatment causes the sore to go into remission within 12 hours. I have often treated the sore when going to bed, and woke up to find it no longer hurting, and on the mend the next morning. This seems to be the most reliable and cheapest way to get rid of canker sores.
Alum
Posted by Eddy (Springfield, VA) on 04/14/2006
★★★★★
I have used alum ever since I was a child. I had a lot of canker sores during childhood. It tastes terribly and does burn a little but the canker sore is usually gone with a couple of days. I have not been able to find it lately but I will check the spice section in the grocery store as suggested. I have tried everything over the years, and this works the best! The only thing is to make sure you put the top on tight as it will dry out!
Alum
Posted by Stacey (St. Paul, Minnesota) on 07/14/2005
★★★★★
I use a cooking spice called Alum on my canker sores and it helps heal them really fast and takes away the pain. It tastes awful and you must let it sit for a min to absorb but it really does help.
Alum
Posted by Lauren (Ny) on 02/22/2018
Be careful...the alum reacted negatively in my mouth and cause a more severe outbreak.
Alum
Posted by Andrea (Des Moines, Ia) on 01/29/2015
Hey I just started using Alum tonight, and it hurt really bad, I mean horribly. And it's still burning. Will it be better in the morning? Cause I'm freaking out cause my canker sores hurt so much worse when I put the alum on it.
Alum
Posted by Susan (San Francisco, Ca) on 01/20/2012
My grandmother taught me this when I was a kid (I'm 57). I've tried other remedies and the Alum has always been the cure that worked fastest for me.
Alum
Posted by Maria (Gippsland, Australia) on 01/26/2012
Could someone please tell me what is the Alum that is often refered to here? I have done a search and found that it can be either potassium alum, soda alum (used in baking powder), ferric alum or ammonium alum. Thanks.
Alum
Posted by Maria (Gippsland, Australia) on 02/13/2012
Thanks Didi for that. I have never seen it here (Australia) but maybe it is sold under another name and not the name Alum.
Alum
Posted by Kimkat (Hingham, Ma) on 04/27/2011
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Alum for canker sores - I just applied to 4 cankers in my mouth and the smaller cankers on inside of lips felt a sting and then a little better instantly, achy but a little better---- BUT the almost centimeter size one on tongue- GOD HELP ME THE PAIN IS INTENSE. I couldn't keep the alum on for long for that one, 30 seconds and almost passed out. BUT I will try again~ I drooled like a fool but been doing that all day. I have eaten NOTHING today the pain got so bad and that is with double dose ibuprofen on board for 3 days. Anyone had luck with this stuff and large cankers of the tongue??
I might have to call my doctor for painkillers - this is almost unbearable (yes I have a low threshhold for pain)
Alum
Posted by Sfcb1 (San Francisco, Ca Usa) on 12/02/2011
★☆☆☆☆
It may be that I discovered this information too late, but I tried the alum solution repeatedly on my latest canker sore (haven't been able to talk or eat pain-free for 5 days now) and it seemed to make it a little worse. It certainly didn't help, although it wasn't as painful as some of the posts here warned it might be. I would have to vote Nay for this one.
Alum
Posted by Gilroy (City, Us) on 12/07/2011
Alum isn't meant to be a pain reliever for canker sores. It is meant as a cautry agent so that they burn up and heal faster. It's not going to make the pain go away.
Alum
Posted by Kathleen (Newport Beach, Ca) on 10/09/2009
Ok! When I'm stressed I bite the inside of my mouth. Yuck!! I know! This can lead to the MOTHER of all canker sores. My dear friend just told me to dab alum into the canker sore, hold the affected area out so it can settle into canker sore and not be washed away by saliva. Let me explain. What I have going is a flipping cluster of sores( 12 in total. SERIOUSLY!!) A few are about 1/4 x 3/8. No I'm not joking. So I apply the alum out of desperation. I'm in constant pain, my lips aren't working. Drool is running down my chin(SEXY right?) AND i CAN'T eat. Ok the alum feels like flipping battery ACID. I want to rip half my face off. Who cares that it tastes viley bitter-it REALLY hurts. It does not sting. Serious PAIN. After about 20 minutes half my lower jaw is numb. Thank God!!! It feels a little swollen. I look in the mirror and honest to God it looks like I've just had half of my mouth pumped up with whatever that crap is that make you look like a freak of nature! I live in newport beach-the land of the plastic fantastic. Please tell me that this will subside and I won't look like a middle aged woman having a midlife crisis and a budget to only cover half the job! Frickin' Y-I-K-E-S !!!!!!!!
Alum
Posted by Man0fsteel (Redondo Beach, Ca, USA) on 11/07/2009
Okay, so I get canker sores every so often, esp. when I don't get enough sleep. This particular monster sore on my lower lip started when I severely bit into my lower lip TWICE on the same spot a week ago. No signs of healing. And they usually do after a week. Not this one. So someone suggested Alum. A quick search online brings me here where there is a lot of positive feedback. So I put the Alum on and like the above post, the pain is pretty intense. Tears are leaking involuntarily out of my eyes. 5 minutes go by and I rinse it off. It's now about 30 min after and the sore feels like it's twice the previous size. Totally swollen. And it's throbbing like no tomorrow. If it gets better, I'll be shocked, but I will report if it does in the morning.
Alum
Posted by Dan (Grand Rapids, MI) on 06/01/2009
The reason alum works is that it is an astringent, not because it forces anything into your body.
Alum
Posted by Saskia (Takoma Park, MD, USA) on 10/06/2008
★★★★★
I had started taking apple cider vinegar twice a day, and after two days noticed the beginning of a canker sore. It didn't hurt yet, so I checked this site, then went out and got some Alum in the grocery store. I did as someone else suggested and wetted my finger, then dipped it into the alum, and then held it on the canker sore for about 5 minutes. Because I caught my canker sore so early, it didn't really sting at all.
I did that twice the first day, and again twice on the second day. It never hurt at all, and it got a little larger at first, but then started receding, and now 4 days later, its basically gone! I'm so happy with the Alum cure! I used to spend a whole week in agony thinking there was no way to help it- I love this website!
Alum
Posted by Debbie (Toronto, Canada) on 06/09/2008
I have not tried alum as yet but was told that it"s good for tightening the skin. I just don't know were to get it to buy in Toronto so this is my question, were do I get alum to buy? so that I can comment back on how it works. please write back to let me know.
EC: Alum is sold in the spice section of grocery stores.
Alum
Posted by Lj (Seattle, Wa) on 08/17/2015
I just bought some alum and dabbed a q tip in water and the alum. Held it on sore for 5min. Hurt like hell. Rinsed it out. Still hurts... I can see that it looks less red and more white. I think it's making it heal faster. Not doing much for pain relief though
