Let’s face it, canker sores are a pain. They usually are red with a white coating and cause intense pain in the lips, gums or wherever they pop up. Things really get worse when you eat acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus. While most canker sores heal in a week to 10 days, you can treat them naturally with diet and encourage them to heal more quickly. While the causes of these pesky lesions is not totally understood, we do know that they can be caused by injury, brought on by stress, or by food allergies. Here is a list of 8 natural ways to treat or prevent canker sores.
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Gluten can be blamed for canker sores: Some people with a gluten intolerance sometimes are prone to canker sores. If you don’t know your status with gluten tolerance and are suffering from reoccurring cankers, ask your ND to test you.
Take supplements to ward off sores: Deficiencies in certain vitamins can lead to canker sores. If you get them a lot, have your ND test your levels of vitamin B-12, C, zinc, folic acid and iron, and then take supplements to bring your levels up to normal.
Zinc or slippery elm can help make cankers go away: Next time you have a sore, try sucking on a zinc or slippery elm lozenge.
Apply teabags to sores: Black tea has healing properties. The tannins in it are pain killers, especially in the mouth. Make a cup, but don’t throw the teabag out. Apply it to the sore area and hold it there for a few minutes. Then enjoy your tea.
Baking soda reduces acidity: Baking soda is good for many mouth problems. Use two teaspoons in 16 ounces of warm water and swish for a minute. Spit it out! Or you can mix it into a paste using much less water, and apply it to the lesion. This treatment will also prevent lesions from coming back, and heal the mouth of many forms of problems.
Goldenseal mouth rinse: If you mix warm water with a quarter teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of goldenseal powder and then rinse your mouth, the pain will diminish and you will heal faster.
Make DGL paste and put it on the sore: Deglycyrrhizinated licorice has mucosa healing properties. Find this at your local health food store. Make a paste with it and put it on your sore.
Eat your veggies to prevent cankers: Increase the leafy greens in your diet such as kale. These healthy vegetables are high in nutrients that help reduce canker causing stress.
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