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.
Goldenseal
Posted by Sarah (Vancouver, BC) on 07/14/2009
★★★★★
I read a LOT of the suggestions to get rid of canker sores as I get them every once in a while and they are awful. I agree that bacterial cultures and oil pulling can keep the mouth in a healthier state on a daily basis...but a remedy I didn't see anywhere is goldenseal. It can be found at any health food store and sometimes is combined with echinacea. Now this is a natural remedy that should be used sparingly as it could one day be unavailable because of overharvesting... It can be taken in pill form or tincture to boost the immune system in times when it is low but in the case of cankers, using the pill form and opening one of the capsules up and carefully putting the powder on the canker works amazingly to kill the infection. I tried using the tincture and rinsing with it and it just turned my mouth and teeth bright yellow....not cool! so get the pill form for sure... Hope this helps others in pain from those nasty canker sores!
Alum, H2O2, Aspirin
Posted by Tricia (Ireland) on 07/02/2009
I can't stop laughing. Next time try hitting 7 beers before you start your remedies.
Alum, H2O2, Aspirin
Posted by CC (Las Cruces, NM) on 07/01/2009
You are too funny! I know what you mean when you just can't take it anymore and you are willing to try anything! You really ARE willing to try anything! Cheers to you!
Colloidal Silver
Posted by John (Fresno, Ca) on 06/30/2009
★★★★★
I have been suffering from mouth sores for decades. I read that colloidal silver will penetrate tissue. So, gaving tried everything, i tried 250 ppm. Everytime i got a mouth sore starting, i gargled (then spat out - did not swallow) for 3 minutes like the article suggested. The mouth sore would go away in 24-48 hours. After a while, i stopped getting mouth sores.
Oral Care
Posted by NMadrid (Madrid, Spain) on 05/23/2009
★★★★★
I used to suffer terribly with canker sores since childhood, till a friend recommended salt toothpaste - I obviously can't mention the brand here, but the main ingredient is baking soda and I have to say that for me (and the friend who recommended it) this really has been a miracle cure!
Toothpaste Without Sls
Posted by Kristin (Salt Lake City, UT) on 05/20/2009
★★★★★
SLS-free toothpaste eliminated my canker sores. I was getting numerous canker sores each month, sometimes several at a time.
I tried canker sore gels. They eliminate the pain temporarily but not the sore itself.
I tried baking soda. That seemed to help shorten the duration a bit was very painful for about 5 minutes. Similarly, apple cider vinegar was painful and seemed to cause a slight improvement in symptoms but didn't eliminate the sores.
I tried a pinch of alum, which also stung to apply and really pickled my lips. I coudln't determine whether that helped much either.
Finally, I bought SLS-free toothpaste 6 months ago. I haven't had a full-blown canker sore since! I think 1 or 2 may have thought about starting during that time, but each time they went away without forming or causing pain.
Probiotics
Posted by Adam (Chicago, Il) on 05/20/2009
★★★★★
I use probiotics 2 capsules a day to control canker sores. I used to get them from eating any kind of nuts or bread/pastry with nuts. For 2 months now I have been eating the nuts without the canker sores.
Aloe Vera
Posted by jen (corning, NY and Italy ) on 02/27/2009
★★★★★
aloe is what did it for me. i have some ingestible pure aloe gel, and put it on there probably 10 times yesterday when I had a nasty canker sore on the underside of my tongue that had been developing already for a few days. I was desperate cuz it was SO painful I could hardly talk. maybe Im a wimp. Anyway, that's all I did and had a good night sleep. Today I hardly feel it at all.
Salt
Posted by Sherry (Saginaw, Mich.) on 02/11/2009
★★★★★
I'm subject to ulcers on the roof of my mouth. I try to avoid prescription meds. I recently discovered that swishing warm salt water in my mouth after brushing was very effective. Bananas are quite effective too. Recently, my gums and roof of my mouth both hurt horribly! Out came the salt water. I'd also read in "You, the owner's manual,"that taking 81mg. baby aspirin is extremely helpful. The problem is nearly gone, and I'm sleeping better, too! I can't ask for more!
Ginger
Posted by Patricia (Foster City, CA/ USA) on 02/09/2009
★★★★★
I placed a slice of ginger root on my canker sore. It relieves pain temporarily. I suggest before you eat something leave it in for about a minute. The pain usually goes away for about a good 45 minutes. My canker sore was so large it was swollen, bleeding, and also had pus coming out of it. I could barely talk. The ginger root allowed me to eat a meal.
Oral Care
Posted by Mike (Sofia, Bulgaria) on 01/25/2009
★★★★★
It's been many months since I posted this and I still have nearly no problems now. In addition to the above I switched to Jason Healthy Mouth toothpaste which has no sodium lauryl sulphate. I rinse out thoroughly 3 times with water after brushing, and that's all I ever have to do.
These days I get the occasional beginnings of an ulcer but it quickly disappears - usually within a day and causes me no pain. I would say I am cured.
P.S. for earth Clinic - why don't you follow all suggestions up with the original posters to see how they worked out in the long term? Most people post something here in a moment of excitement, but never come back to report their progress. An automated email with a form to fill in is so easy to do.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Candy (Hobe Sound, FL) on 01/24/2009
★★★★★
I have been using Organic Coconut Oil for 2 years now as a "skin lotion". When I started using it I was 43 and already using a top product for anti-aging. The product had worked some to reduce wrinkles but in just a couple of days the CO worked so much better. now at almost 45 I have very little wrinkles. I use just a little bit on my fingers and spread so thin that no one can tell that I use an oil on my face. My 17 year old daughter uses it also.
I started using the CO for other things and one of the best is on a canker sores. It does not hurt unless you rub it too hard. I had no pain all day and did not have to put more on until bed time. I put a dab of CO on a Q-tip and applied it to the sore.
Mustard
Posted by Rodney (Fort Wayne, IN) on 01/04/2009
★★★★★
For whatever reason if you put Mustard directly on your canker sores it burn then the pain is gone. Instant relief. I don't know if it heals anything but it sure feels better for a while and you don't have to run out and buy anything special.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Gean (Salina, KS) on 12/30/2008
Good to know. Also, I wanted to add that 2 weeks ago my brother had canker sores in the back of his throat which hurt so bad that a sip of water felt like a knife. He sucked on licorice lozenges from the health food store, and within one to two days the sores were gone.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Will (Portland, OR) on 12/29/2008
★★★★★
I discovered to use on canker sores Hydrogen Peroxide on my own a few years back. I used it 30 sec per day, everyday, and now I have had one, maybe two canker sores since then. I think the Hydrogen Peroxide interrupts the life cycle of the virus by destroying the infected cells. That was back in 2001!
Toothpaste Without Sls
Posted by Carri (Greenville, SC) on 12/16/2008
The only brand that doesn't have SLS is a specific flavor of ____. I can't remember the flavor but read the ingredients. There is an ingredient like it, but not it just be careful it doesn't say Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. I have used the ______ and it gives me horrible canker sores though it does not have SLS. I think it's the Sodium Saccrin in it, not sure. The only thing I've found that doen't make me get them is the _____. And you have to hunt for it. Hope this helps someone!!
Baking Soda
Posted by Elli (Billings, Montana) on 12/14/2008
★★★★★
Had tried many of the suggestions here, so I was an 'experienced' patient. But this last episode was getting agonizing, allergies caused me to bite my tongue 3 wks ago. Had been to the clinic and got a little relief. Called Primary Care Physician and got a little more relief several days ago. Today .. Nothing had really helped and pain was getting worse. FOUND THIS SITE. Had not heard of the alum/baking soda cure and since I was in no shape to go pick up some alum, used my handy large size of baking soda to try that out. Did it once .. Seemed to help a bit. Waited a little while, rinsed with salt water (which I had been doing from the beginning) and applied more baking soda. This time it Burned - but not for too long. Now my throat is sooo much better. I can swallow again and the pain is not radiating down my neck past the lymph nodes - one morning I was awakened dreaming I had the mumps again. I know that the yogurt works. I had gone so far as to make it myself when my kids were little - it was not as readily available as it is today. I was just too far run down this time for any of my usual remedies to kick in. Thank you for this site. It was just what I had hoped to find when I started looking days ago!!
Tea Bags
Posted by Craig (PORTLAND, OR) on 12/09/2008
★★★★★
Has anyone ever heard of using tea leaves to resolve a canker sore? I have tried it in the past and it has worked and I was wondering if anyone else had used this technique.
Ginger
Posted by K HOWELL (Speedwell, TN /USA) on 12/09/2008
★★★★★
Use a very thin slice of fresh cut Ginger Root to heal painful mouth sores. Rub the Ginger Root on the sore. Discard the slice after use, or eat it. Works fast, and kills the pain instantly. I have had a few mouth sores in the last several years and this treatment has worked 100% of the time, for me, with just one application.
Alum, H2O2, Aspirin
Posted by Juanita (N.O. , La. USA) on 11/28/2008
I really believe you over did this, my friend!
I always use Alum at the first sign of a fever blister. All I need to do is wet my finger then touch it to the Alum and apply this mix to the sore for about 15 seconds. It stops the sore in its tracks. You can also use this if you bite your tongue or get a 'lie' bump (swollen taste bud)... It works for me everytime! My neice who is prone to fever blisters found she can keep her outbreaks at a minimum by taking an L-Lysine supplement daily! Juanita
Avoid Nuts
Posted by Charlie (Mason, New Hampshire) on 11/25/2008
★★★★★
I have had episodes of canker sore since I was a child. After suffering for about 35 years I figured out that my canker sores were triggered by certain tree nuts. I am not otherwise allergic to tree nuts. If I eat walnuts or hazelnuts, or products containing them or their oil, canker sores will develop in 24-48 hours. I also think that seasonal pollen allergies may trigger them, and found that a prescription antihistamine (I know, not a folk remedy) completely prevents them in pollen season. As for "cures" I have never found one, but am intrigued by the alum testimonials and will try that.
Alum, H2O2, Aspirin
Posted by Lorik (Blacksburg, Va, USA) on 11/22/2008
WOW talk about an overachiever.. I'm not sure why one would do all three remedies at once.. good grief Charlie Brown!!!
