Canker sores are not hazardous, but they cause discomfort while eating and drinking. Try out these simple remedies to eliminate them.

Canker sores are not dangerous at all, unless you get them very often and they rupture without provocation and cause acute distress. Normally, canker sores are caused inside the mouth, along the sides of the cheeks, on the roof of the mouth or on the tongue, and are like little boils in appearance. They may be caused by something as innocuous as lack of sleep, or may be the result of medication, apart from being caused by a Vitamin B deficiency, stress, poor diet, etc. They go away after three or four days.

However, they can be painful and cause discomfort while eating and drinking, especially if you eat spicy food or drink hot liquids. Whether they make an appearance frequently or not, it is best to get rid of them when they make an appearance. Here’s what you can try:

  1. Eucalyptus oil. Apply a drop of eucalyptus oil directly onto the sore. This will sting a bit, but that is normal. Eucalyptus oil is an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial substance, which also has pain-killing properties. Do this twice a day and your canker sore will subside soon.
  2. Vitamin B tablets. Take an OTC Vitamin B tablet or capsule and your sore will subside within a day. However, don’t do this if you tend to get canker sores often.
  3. Used teabags. Don’t throw away the teabag you just used – let it cool slightly and place it directly on the sore. Better still, use a teabag containing ginger or green tea.
  4. Coconut oil. Warm some coconut oil and use it directly on the sores. The advantage of coconut oil is that it is perfectly safe to swallow it, as opposed to eucalyptus oil. Coconut oil will also significantly reduce the pain of the sore.
  5. Clove. Cloves are loaded with anti-inflammatory properties, and clove oil is a proven pain-killer that dentists use in cementing pastes. Use clove oil directly on the sore. It will sting a little but will subside after a while.
  6. Honey and cinnamon mix. Take a teaspoon of honey, half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and mix the two in half a cup of warm water. Sip on this water and hold it inside the mouth for two minutes each sip. Spit out the water, and then take the next sip. This will help the sore subside in a day, as also remove infection in the affected area.
  7. Aloe vera gel. Squeeze out fresh aloe gel after slitting a leaf lengthwise. Mix it with a few drops of water and dab it on to the sore. Do not swallow. Spit out the gel after five minutes.
  8. Yoghurt and salt. Simply mix a cup of homemade yoghurt with a teaspoon of salt and eat it prior to your meals. It will calm the sore, numb the pain and remove inflammation.