Canker sores are medically known as aphthous ulcers or, quite simply, oral ulcers. These ulcers are shallow painful sores in the mouth, which appear red and might have a red or white coating over them. The most prominent places where these sores occur are inside the lips or cheeks, base of the gums or under the tongue. Canker sores should not be confused with blisters which are most commonly found outside the lips or the corners of the mouth.

Though canker sores are not dangerous, they can be quite annoying till they last. The following are some of the symptoms of canker sores:-

(i) The first sensation is a tingling sensation in the area where the canker sore will make its appearance.

(ii) Then a small tiny bump occurs on the area. This can be felt by the tip of the tongue.

(iii) The canker sore becomes bigger and can be easily seen. It becomes reddish raw or white in color.

(iv) There is a stinging kind of pain when any food particle or water comes in contact with the canker sore.

Canker sores can affect almost anybody and there is no specific reason why they occur. However, there is a predominance of them in women, especially in their young ages, up to thirty years. Though the exact causes of canker sores are not known, there are some indicative triggers that can bring on the condition. The following are these triggering factors:-

(i) Stress

(ii) Malnutrition

(iii) Allergies to specific kinds of food

(iv) Menstrual changes occurring in women.

Despite the common notion about canker sores, it must be remembered that they are not contagious. Hence, there is no need to take undue precautions if someone in the house develops canker sores. But, of course, methods must be adopted to get the condition treated in the patient as soon as possible.

Home Remedies for Canker Sores

Canker sores are not very serious conditions, and they will go away just as naturally as they have appeared. However, there are some remedies that can be done at the household level to get the canker sores treated as soon as possible. The following are some interesting and effective home remedies:-

There are several over-the-counter medications available for the treatment of canker sores. The following are some names of effective brands, which are available at any chemists' shop: Zilactin B, Anbesol, Oragel and Orabase. These medications are effective and their application will keep you away from the terrible irritation that is caused during eating, drinking or even brushing. Lysine is also good for the treatment of canker sores. This is one of the useful canker sores home remedies.

This is another medical home remedy for canker sores that works in a great way at allaying the painful symptoms of canker sores. Mix equal amounts of Milk of Magnesia and the liquid version of Benadryl. Then put a teaspoonful of this solution in your moth. Keep swirling the solution in the mouth for about one minute and then spit it out. Repeat this for about four to six hours on a daily basis. You will be relieved of all the sharp pains, and also your canker sore will heal much faster.

Natural remedy for canker sores - Some medical professionals say that putting wet black tea bags on sores will help them to heal faster. Black tea contains tannin, which is an alkaloid substance that relieves pain.

Prepare a solution with two ounces of hydrogen peroxide and two ounces of water. Put five teaspoonfuls of salt in it, and one teaspoonful of baking soda. Take this mixture in the mouth and swish it repeatedly. Carry this on for about one minute and then spit the liquid out. Doing this four to five times each day will definitely remove your canker sores within a few days. This is one of the useful home remedies for canker sores.

Effective canker sores treatment is to extract some juice of the leaves of the aloe vera plant. Mix this in water. Use this solution to rinse your mouth several times in a day. The canker sores will be gone in a few days, and you will not feel the painful symptoms.

One canker sores remedy is to apply raw onion on the sores. Though this might smart a little in the mouth due to the pungent nature of the onion, it is a very effective remedy and worth the little discomfort that it may cause.

Canker sores can be cleared by sucking or chewing papaya tablets a number of times. However, chewing on the tablets will help the juices permeate into the mouth better.

Take two tablespoons of fresh plum juice and use it as a mouth rinse. If the canker sores are too bad, the take a ball of cotton and keep it soaked in plum juice for some time. Then it should be compressed over the sore for a few minutes. The sharp stinging pains of the canker sores will be gone in a few moments.This is one of the important home remedies for canker sores.

This is a wonderful remedy which must be done immediately as the canker sore formation is noticed. This will nip the problem in the bud. Take a cupful of warm water, and put in it one teaspoonful of soda and one pinch of salt. Take this into the mouth, one swallow at a time, and swirl it thoroughly. Let it pass very nicely on the region where the canker sore has begun to erupt. This is a very effective remedy to treat the canker sore when it has not yet been formed fully. This is one of the best canker sores cure.

This is a variation of the above remedy and works when the canker sore is still young. Prepare a salt water solution by mixing two teaspoonfuls of table salt in one cupful of warm water. Use this solution to rinse the mouth three to four times per day. You can add a spot of alum to the solution when it is warm. Both alum and salt help to draw out the fluids from the canker sores and help them to heal faster. This is one of the best canker sores home remedies.

Alum can be used by itself as a potentially effective treatment for the canker sores. If alum is applied on the canker sores directly, then it may burn initially, just like common salt, and everyone may not be up to this remedy. But you must do this if you want a very quick treatment. Dab a little bit of alum on the canker sore, and then wash your mouth after about ten seconds of the tingling sensation. Do this twice a day. Your canker sore could be gone in just about two days of doing this.

Baking soda can also be used as a powder directly over canker sore or it can be made as a paste and then applied. Make this application several times in a day.

Another good home remedy for canker sores with baking soda. You must mix one teaspoon of baking soda with half a glass of warm water and use this as a mouthwash several times in a day. Do this especially after meals and before bed time. The pain is expected to lessen in 24 hours, whereas the canker sore itself will go away within three days.

Home remedies for canker sores - The extract of grapefruit seed is an excellent disinfectant and works very well in the treatment of canker sores. Make a mouthwash solution by putting five to six drops of the freshly extracted grapefruit juice into a cupful of water. Do this no more than once a day. Within a few days, your canker sores will be gone.

This is a very simple home remedy for canker sores, and works very well for people who cannot stand the pain and tingling sensations of the above remedies. Just take about 1 teaspoonful of honey and put about a quarter teaspoonful of turmeric powder in it. Dab it over your sore. Your canker sore will take a little while longer to go with this remedy, but relief is immediate.

A dose of aspirin or ibuprofen relieves pain especially before meals if canker sore interferes while eating. You can try it if you do not mind antibiotics and if you want some very immediate relief. This is one of the useful natural remedies for canker sores.

You can get some temporary relief by using some ice. Just apply this ice on the canker sores directly. It will not make the canker sore disappear, but it will make you feel better. You have to simply apply ice or rinse your mouth with ice water.

Aloe has potent curative power. Extract a little of aloe juice from the juicy aloe from its inner leaf portion and use this to rinse your mouth. With several rinses they may disappear. This is one of the best home remedies for canker sores.

Eat a diet of cooked rice with some yogurt mixed in it. Add a dish of green leafy vegetables. Till the time you have the canker sores in your mouth, eat only this for every meal. This will ensure that the canker sores do not get aggravated, and indeed, that they get healed fast. This is one of the effective diet for canker sores.

Canker sores do erupt unexpectedly, and the truth is that even doctors do not know why they come up in some people and some people seem to be eternally immune to them. However, there are some things that can be done in order to ensure that the canker sores never occur at all. These are some of the possible preventive measures to keep canker sores away:-

(i) Avoid toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate and other irritating ingredients. These may be responsible for causing canker sores in some people.

(ii) Avoid hard and crunchy or spicy foods and chewing gums, especially if you have got canker sores once before and do not want them to recur.

(iii) Maintain all the routine that dental and oral hygiene demands. Brush your teeth after meals with soft brushes keep flossing your mouth everyday. Keep your tongue clean and also note the spaces between the interspaces of teeth. Do not allow fragments of food to remain in the mouth. Gargle after every thing you eat and use toothpicks if necessary to remove the food particles.

(iv) Avoid alcohol and smoking. If you are a smoker and have developed a canker sore, you need to be serious about it. Canker sores can be an early indication of oral cancer.

(v) Do not eat foods that are hot and spicy, especially in the hot summer seasons. Stay away from oily foods.