Mouth Ulcers: Causes and natural remedies

Mouth ulcers are a very annoying problem that can appear even with a certain frequency if the underlying cause is not understood. So let’s find out why canker sores on the tongue or mouth and the most effective natural remedies to treat them.

Canker sores are small ulcers, i.e., lesions of the oral mucosa that may appear flat, whitish, or red in color or swollen and full of water. They are not contagious and cause discomfort and burning, especially when eating or brushing your teeth.

It is one of the main symptoms of the so-called stomatitis or inflammation of the oral cavity, including other problems such as redness, swelling, and lesions in different parts of the mouth.

Generally, the problem of canker sores in the mouth tends to disappear on its own within a few days, even without doing anything. Still, sometimes the situation is a recidivist. That is, canker sores tend to reappear cyclically. Therefore, it is good to identify the possible causes by acting on being to resolve the annoyances definitively. But what are the possible causes of mouth ulcers?

Aphtha in the mouth: Causes

There can be many causes of canker sores in the mouth or on the tongue. In most cases, there is a problem of nutritional deficiencies, Vitamins B (especially folic acid) or iron and zinc. But it is not uncommon for the problem to appear also due to food intolerance to some food consumed daily.

Just as often, then canker sores appear when there is a lowering of the immune defenses. This situation gives rise to bacteria and viruses acting better in the oral cavity, thus causing the annoying symptoms of stomatitis. Sometimes an inefficient immune system is found in times of great stress or people suffering from anxiety.

Even contingent situations such as taking antibiotics or other medicines, poor oral hygiene, the use of appliances and dentures, or even trauma in the mouth can favor the onset of canker sores. Finally, additional risk factors are smoking and alcohol intake.

In women, hormonal changes linked, for example, to the arrival of the cycle can lead to the appearance of canker sores on the tongue or in other areas of the mouth.

Especially if canker sores occur recidivistically, it is good to go to the bottom. It may be that some inflammatory pathologies are affecting the intestine (for example, example celiac disease or Crohn’s disease). It will be the responsibility of the doctor to recommend the appropriate analyzes to understand if the canker sores are directly connected to some other health problem or not.

Aphtha in the mouth: natural remedies and advice

To quickly solve the problem of canker sores, some natural remedies can be used, and practical measures can be put in place to avoid their appearance. Let’s find out the most effective.

1. Propolis

Propolis produced by bees is an excellent remedy against canker sores. You can use a drop several times a day to put directly on foot and mouth with a disinfectant and healing effect. Alternatively, if the inflammation is generalized, rinses and gargles with water and 20 drops of propolis can be done several times a day.

2. Water and salt or baking soda

To disinfect the mouth affected by stomatitis and canker sores, you can use a solution of water and bicarbonate or water and salt. For each glass of water, dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda or salt and rinse several times a day until the problem is solved.

3. DIY mouthwash

If you want to experiment with an effective DIY mouthwash, even in the case of canker sores, you can prepare one based on sage and lemon, a natural disinfectant and astringent ingredients.

Use half a teaspoon of dried sage or five fresh sage leaves to leave to infuse for 5 minutes in a covered cup of boiling water. Then strain, let cool, and finally, add a spoonful of lemon juice. This natural mouthwash can rinse whenever you need it (better prepare it fresh every day).

4. Aloe vera

A 100% pure aloe gel pin with disinfectant, astringent, and healing properties can be applied to the foot and mouth. It is no coincidence that known products for the treatment of canker sores commonly sold in pharmacies are based on this plant.

5. Tea tree oil

Among the essential oils, tea tree oil to be applied with the help of a cotton swab directly on the canker sores is particularly indicated. This oil has an effective antibacterial action.

6. Tea

If you do not have any of the previous natural remedies available, you will probably have at least one tea bag at home. Well, you can use it as soon as it is wet to dab aphthae. In addition, some active ingredients present in tea leaves have healing power.

---

How to prevent mouth ulcers

Brush your teeth well

Oral hygiene is also essential to prevent canker sores. After each meal, it would be good to brush your teeth and use dental floss at least once a day.

Balanced nutrition

Eating healthily is essential to prevent those canker sores that appear due to nutritional deficiencies. Often it is a lack of folic acid (vitamin B9), zinc, or iron. Therefore, it is good to include in your diet everyday foods that contain these precious nutrients.

Food and drink

If you have a recurrent canker problem, it can be useful to limit or eliminate for at least a period of time irritating foods for the oral mucosa such as coffee, vinegar, citrus fruits, pepper, chili pepper (and other spices), soups, too hot drinks, and alcohol.

Probiotics

Also useful in the prevention phase is taking probiotics to promote better intestinal function and thus also promote the well-being of the immune system.