4 natural remedies for canker sores

The stinging, throbbing, and swelling associated with canker sores can ruin your week. Thankfully, your kitchen is stocked with several natural remedies to soothe the sores and promote speedy healing. Ready to get some relief? Here’s how!

A new use for yogurt
Reach for a carton of plain, unflavored yogurt when you have mouth sores. Take a small scoop of the yogurt and place it directly on the sore. The cool, creamy texture is immediately soothing and helps reduce inflammation. The beneficial bacteria in the yogurt help promote healing and dull the pain temporarily. Reapply the yogurt as needed to provide relief. You can also drink unflavored, blended yogurt drinks that are often available at convenience store to help coat the sores.

Sipping an icy smoothie
Reduce the swelling and redness of canker sores by sipping cold drinks. Make a fruit smoothie using low-acid ingredients such as milk, blueberries, and ice cubes. Or, keep things simple and suck on plain ice chips. Avoid flavoring the drink or ice with fruit juices, as these can sting when they come in contact with the canker sores.

If it’s too painful to sip an icy drink, use an ice pack on the outside of your mouth. Cover the cold compress with a dish towel and hold it against your lips or cheek to dull the pain. Hold the ice on the skin for five to 10 minutes, and then give the skin a 20-minute rest before reapplying. Never use a cold compress while sleeping.

Take oral supplements
When you don’t have time to work with food remedies, try taking over-the-counter supplements to combat the sores. Natural remedies such as L-lysine, folic acid, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 can help prevent more canker sores from forming and speed up the healing time of current sores, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Do you get canker sores often? These painful mouth sores are often linked to prolonged illnesses, viral infections, fatigue, stress, poor diet, lack of dental care, allergies, or emotional problems. Seek the advice of your family physician if you battle canker sores regularly.

While waiting for an appointment, reduce as many stressors as possible. Hire a babysitter to watch the children, or stock up on frozen dinners to quickly prepare in the oven. Rest and relaxation are some of the best natural remedies to help curb the frequency and spread of mouth sores.

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