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.
Tea Bags
Posted by Brijette (Bettendorf, Iowa)
★★★★★
My husband told me to put a tea bag on my canker sore. It definitely took away the pain! As for curing it, I think it speeded up the process. The tea bag remedy is good for any type of mouth sores because of the pain relieving effect. I usually use black tea, simply because that's what I have around most of the time. Green tea also works, and I'm sure any kind will probably do the trick. It is not necessary to steep the tea first, however it does work better if the bag is already wet before applying. If the strong taste is too much for you, drinking brewed tea also works if you swish it around over the canker sore while you drink it. However, it's been my experience that the tea bag directly on the sore is much more effective.
Tea Bags
Posted by Brenda (USA)
★★★★★
First, the tea bag, was very helpful in the healing process it definitely made the pain disappear in minutes as for the peroxide,i would use this as a last resort, but it does work! The tea bag was very successful! try it! it most definitely works! Use the peroxide as a last resort!
Baking Soda
Posted by Natasha (Naples) on 05/24/2024
Please don't brush with Baking Soda. When the sore is healed, then you can brush with it for prevention, even then not every day. Swish your mouth with hydrogen peroxide solution or iodine solution. You can swish a baking soda SOLUTION as well, but not too concentrated.
Cloves
Posted by Juliana (Edmonton, Canada ) on 06/18/2021
★★★★★
I used many different things for the big sore on my tongue. Nothing would work, until I started to use the clove powder.. It started to work immediately.
I've learned that canker sore can be caused by bacteria or many other causes. In my case, it was bacterial, from a tooth infection. In 2 days it shrunk 80%..another 2 days later it was gone.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Anon (Anon) on 07/02/2020
★★★★★
Peppermint oil seems to have shrunk the canker sore I had. I was putting a drop of the oil in my mouth once a day. That was three days ago, the sore is gone. It had been there about three days before I used the oil.
I mixed several drops with tea tree oil in a capsule and inserted it to see if it would get rid of what appears to be hpv on my cervix. That was 12 hours ago and my period has just started a week early.
CBD Oil
Posted by Chris (Atlanta, Ga ) on 08/29/2019
★★★★★
I had nasty canker sore on the roof of mouth. I tried everything on here for relief. It all helped some. Then I remembered that I have some cbd oil balm. I loaded up a Q-Tip with it and placed it everywhere I felt pain or tenderness. Went to sleep. Woke up pain free. Like it went away over night. That stuff is the best for any type of skin lesion.
Oil Pulling
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 05/28/2016
Hmmm Arnezi, coconut oil had always only given me temporary relief. But this past outbreak disappeared after drinking Oregano tea for a few days. Just 1 teaspoon of plain oregano from the spice jar in a glass of boiling water.
Garlic
Posted by Paolo (Midland, Tx) on 12/05/2015
★★★★★
I had a canker sore in mouth right where my gums and cheek meet. I chewed one garlic clove in the morning and once at night and within three days it was non-existent.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Janie (Magnolia, Texas) on 05/30/2015
★★★★★
I had a mouth ulcer that would not go away and was getting more painful as the days went on. I looked up on Earth Clinic and found that coconut oil could be used so I took some and placed it directly on the mouth ulcer and within 24 hours it was completely gone. Great stuff. I told my sister n law about it because my brother is taking chemo and will need something to help with mouth ulcers.
Papaya Leaf Tea
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 06/13/2014
★★★★★
Having read Dave from Fountain Inn's brave experiments with Papaya (in the name of science, of course. (Have you lost those extra pounds, or are they there as a living testament to your brave pioneering spirit??!! ) I discovered a bag of Papaya leaf tea here and decided to try it for recurring Canker Sores. After waiting for three outbreaks, all of which were cured with the tea, I am happy to report that fact here. The relief from pain takes about 2 days of 1-2 teas daily (1 tsp. tea leaves in a cup of boiling water. Either boiled for a bit, or just left to steep) and the cure depends on how strictly I stay away from my triggers (certain baked goods, bananas and more than my tolerance level of citrus).
Unlit Match
Posted by Sleighb7 (Ontario, Canada) on 10/18/2013
★★★★★
Unlit Match for Canker Sores: Oh thank the lord someone put this remedy up.... The to the point story.... Large mouth ulcer with white crust forming, lots of pain, put unlit match on the white part for around 20-30 seconds, not to long in case of further irritation which causes them to grow. Woke up 50% better, repeated same process this morning, ulcer is around 85% gone, will repeat tonight and be done with it, fastest ive ever gotten rid of an ulcer, no more white crust, warning this will sting but the relief it provides after is well worth the pain.
Folic Acid
Posted by Melissa (Veracruz, Mexico) on 04/24/2013
★★★★★
Take folic acid. Mouth sores go away very quickly! It's fantastic!
Probiotics
Posted by Jnell (Lumby, Bc, Canada) on 04/14/2013
★★★★★
Probiotics for Mouth Ulcers: This is so painful at first, if you're dealing with a large ulcer, but it works everytime. Open up your probiotic capsule(s) 1 or 2 is good, pour onto a dish, add only a few drops of water at a time to form a kind of paste, then, using clean hands, use your index finger to scoup up some of the paste and push it up into the sore. Try and keep from swallowing for a bit (you'll get a little drooly) between 2 and 5 minutes is good, but the longer the better I suppose. You want to do this 3 or 4 times/day.... but I've never had to do it for more then a day, once I had one about the size of a quarter on the roof of my mouth and that was nearly gone after the second treatment! It does hurt terribly bad, but only while your pushing the probiotics into the wound.
Cayenne
Posted by Gavin (Manganui, Northland, New Zealand) on 01/17/2012
★★★★★
I think cayenne must be a good antibiotic.. I had these sores at the side of my mouth and thought that I'd try a bit of creative thinking.. I mixed a third cayenne a third tumeric and a third coconut oil (ev. ) gave it a good stir. Then rubbed a bit either side of my mouth before bed.. It stung at first.. When I checked in the morning I noticed a blanched ulcer.. Which is a good sign as it means the infection or whatever it was, was nailed... After three dabs over a twenty four hour period, the stinging stopped and the ulcer was shrunk to half the size it started out at. And looks healthy. Its healing so well I thought I'd post.
Supplements
Posted by Connie (Slc, Utah, Usa) on 12/12/2011
★★★★★
Hi All ; It's been a 45 yr. search for me. I hope to shorten your suffering. I'll just give you the answer first, or the one that worked for me. Folate/Folic Acid. I need extra, more than the RDA of 400 mcg. , I need 800 mcg. daily in a supplement.
Canker sores are a common sign of B12 deficiency, so that's another supplement to consider, especially when one takes Folate, because they are interdependent. Sublinguals are easier for the body to use than oral types. I take large quantities, but I believe most people may need less. Supplements work best when we find our own numbers. My guess is that most people will respond to 500-1000 mcg. daily.
Zinc is another supplement that is suggested for canker sores. The RDA is approx. 15 mg. Daily. When I look at the zinc content of foods, it seems difficult to consume that amount, so I supplement with it, 15mg. 2-3 times weekly. But I'm considering a test just to see if I'm in the range somewhere.
Folate may also help with other lesions/ulcerations along the GI tract, I've read.
I wish I could give this information to my 10 yr. old self, when I lay crumpled on the bathroom floor with a stick of silver nitrate that only made the pain worse....
Constipation Link to Canker Sores
Posted by Spiderhawk (Houston, Texas) on 10/31/2012
★★★★★
Interesting! I was wondering why I had a painfull canker sore appear under my tounge and after reading your post, it dawned on me that as a result of taking pain medication, I have been constipated for about two weeks now. I am going to rinse with baking soda and drink some baking soda as well. I have always had success drinking baking soda to relieve constapation.
Constipation Link to Canker Sores
Posted by Cody (Fort Worth, Texas) on 11/27/2012
★★★★★
Wow that's crazy, everytime I can ever think of the canker sores I got and currently have is all when I was not on a regular bathroom schedule. Vacation- canker sores appear, too busy... Canker sores appear. You're on to something, because the last 4 times would if this is true, all be for the lack of regular bowel movements!
Gluten-Free Diet
Posted by Shaun (York, Uk) on 11/01/2011
★★★★★
My partner (female, 57) has suffered with mouth cankers for as long as she can remember. These are/were incredibly painful. They looked like mini volcano's! They came 'round on a regular basis on gums, tongue and inner lips. We tried just about everything, but with no joy. Then I thought maybe she is gluten sensitive (I had heavily researched gluten sensitivity for my own [now cured skin condition[s], see elsewhere on Earthclinic), and other other 'odd' and seemingly incurable autoimmune-like issues of various friends. The result? Bam! No more mouth cankers. What a joy! To those who do not suffer this issue you just cannot believe the sheer relief that this has brought her. 50 years of doctors efforts had come to nothing. It has now been 2/3 months with no sign of mouth ulcers.
As an aside I would suggest to ANYONE that if you have some sort of seemingly incurable issue (candida, cankers, anaemia, IBS, ear pain, brain fog, rheumatoid arthritis etc., etc. , or indeed... Whatever) that you very, very strongly consider some form of gluten sensitivity. Sadly my partners father also suffers from canker issue (and stomach problems), but as he is 85 and bread is something of a holy social and ethnic issue with him he will just not accept the fact that gluten is his problem. Nevertheless we will keep trying to convince him!
Baking Soda
Posted by Asw (Houston, Tx) on 10/07/2011
★★★★★
Using baking soda worked for me. I had a canker sore that kept getting worst despite the fact I was applying hydrogen peroxide. So I looked online and saw that baking soda also worked as a treatment for some. I applied baking soda once or twice a day for three days and it completely healed the sore.
