Canker Sores: An Irritating Nuisance

We've all experienced that little annoyance in the mouth that doesn't feel quite right. You'll be eating or talking and your tongue or teeth will brush up against a tender spot in your mouth. What you're experiencing is a canker sore. This is a painful raised sore that can disrupt even the most ordinary actions. 

Canker sores can be caused by a myriad of things and no clear indication can be drawn to a specific trigger. Sometimes things like food allergies, dental work, vitamin deficiency or hormonal imbalance can be the cause. Some medical conditions are also attributed to the nuisances. Things like celiac disease, Crohn's disease, and auto immune conditions can lead to suffering from canker sores as well.

Foods that have acidic properties or citrus qualities such as oranges, pineapples, lemons, apples, figs, strawberries and tomatoes, can often cause canker sores, especially when consuming high amounts of the food. If you consume any of these fruits excessively and have been dealing with canker sores, try to limit your consumption. Also dental work, such as sharp teeth or braces can lead to small sores on the inside of the mouth. Most orthodontists will provide you with bracket wax that can help subvert the rubbing against the inside of the mouth.

Canker Sore Or Cold Sore?

One of the crucial things to remember about a canker sore is that constantly touching it with your tongue, finger or teeth will only further irritate it. Many of us have a propensity to keep prodding an injury or foreign thing simply because we're constantly checking to see if it's still there or if it still hurts. Treating your canker sore and then leaving it alone is the best thing you can do for it. Don't touch it and don't constantly check on it. Try to stick with soft foods that are easier to eat and focus your chewing away from the affected area.

It's also important to know that canker sores and cold sores are not the same thing. They are sometimes confused with one another. Cold sores are a type of herpes simplex type 1, while canker sores are a simple abrasion or sore that is caused by irritation localized in a specific area on the inside of the mouth. Also, canker sores are not at all contagious. There are a few ways to treat canker sores to get rid of them. While there are over-the-counter products that you can buy, natural remedies are preferred.

Olive Oil And Peppermint Oil

Two tablespoons of olive oil mixed with 10 drops of peppermint oil will make a great numbing aid that will help to eliminate the irritation that canker sores often bring along with them. Add a bit of eucalyptus oil for antiseptic and additional soothing properties.

Coconut Oil

One of the most multi-faceted oils in the world, the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of coconut oil will provide a barrier between the affected skin and the rest of the mouth. Try dabbing a little bit of coconut oil on with a cotton swab. Also rinse your mouth a couple of times a day to kill all the bacteria that tends to exist there.

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Reviewed By:    

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.