My 10 year old daughter has re-occuring canker sores. Anyone have a home remedy that actually works? Thank you.
DDSS2000
Try using L-lyzine. It is a vitamin that you can buy at Walmart. 2 tablets when she gets that "feeling" and then 1 every six hours after that. This is a hint I received from a nurse a long time ago.
(05/25/2005)
By edieparks
I always use alum when I have a canker sore and it's almost always gone the next day (I use the alum at night before going to bed). Here's a site with remedies and, indeed, alum is one of the remedies mentioned (about half way down the page under "Remedies"). Hope it helps. http://www.health911.com/remedies/rem_cank.htm
(05/26/2005)
by Luvyabye
I have canker sores sometimes. I use Carmax on my lips and drink Buttermilk. A pharmaciststold me the buttermilk would counter react the acid in the stomach that causes them.I don't like buttermilk but drink it anyway..If they are inside the mouth ask for a bottle of UlcerEase at the pharmacy and use as directed,it works on the ones inside the mouth. Need to drink the buttermilk for either problem. Hope this will help.
by seamstress (05/26/2005)
For inside the mouth canker sores I found that gargling a little bit of Hydrogen peroxide (DO NOT SWALLOW) or just swishing it around the sore will heal it over night. On occasion I would have do a second treatment. But for the most part one night should do it.
It is very important not to swallow any, and I wouldn't recommend on children too young to control swallowing.
(05/26/2005)By Virginia
Thank you! Last night we put a wet/warm teabag on the canker sore, and it helped relieve the discomfort she was having. Buttermilk is easy to get, and I have alum, so I will start there first and see if they help get rid of the one she has. Thank you all for such great hints. I can generally find plenty of frugal remedies, but this was one I wasn't able to.
By DDSS2000
I have had horrible troubles over my life with canker sores, I finally found that if I use a tea tree oil toothpaste I don't get them nearly at all anymore, You can find tea tree oil toothpaste in a healthfood store and it is more expensive than regular toothpaste, but I found it is well worth the cost.
(05/26/2005)
By Nancy
By Mary
I had canker sores when I was a youngster often. I ended up going to the Dr. for them. He said to take Listerine, in my mouth and over a sink, let it slowly run over the canker sore. I was to do this about 3 times a day, every time I felt one coming on. It worked great. Now, I might get one every 3-4 years.
Another thing, when drinking from a glass or cup, use a straw, especially in public. This really helps.
(05/27/2005)
by badwater
One thing that I have found to work if I feel one coming on inside my mouth is to make strong warm salt water and swish in my mouth where the canker is coming up. If you already have one, I rub salt on it, its going to sting but it will kill it every time.
(05/27/2005)
By Becky
I use a Vitamin E capsule. I break it open and use the oil inside and rub it on several times during the day. My doctor said eating yogurt will help prevent them and since it is a food that is good for you too, maybe your daughter should find a flavor she likes and try to eat some regularly so she doesn't get them as much. Some frozen yogurt items could be a treat and a help at the same time also. I checked my medical book and it says if you have treated a canker sore for two weeks and it is still there to see a doctor. Good luck!
By maggiemay
Replace her toothbrush every time her mouth clears up
(05/29/2005)
See if your toothpaste contains sodium laurel sulfate (most do). This is a foaming agent that is very irritating to canker sore sufferers. We switched to Biotene toothpaste and the canker sores we have had have been cut by 90%. Rembrandt for canker sore sufferers is also a good one. My pediatrician recommended this and as both a nurse and mother I highly recommend this tip
By Nursemom
Acidophilous
(06/02/2005)
By Fran Marie
We used to use Camphophenek on canker sores and cold cores. Ask the pharmacist for it.
(06/03/2005)
By patsAZ
I believe that sores like that develop from the inside of your body and manifest itself outwardly. Try buying some Lysine pills at the first sign of a sore and they'll go away quickly, at least they do for my family. Smiles, peg
By peggygv
I was reading at the previous posts and saw that listerine worked for someone. Too bad it didn't work for me. I consulted my dentist and now i understand why. My dentist says that using listerine actually makes the sore worst and it takes longer to heal because of the alcohol content. He said that salt is a better solution.
(07/21/2005)By Anne
A friend told me that as a child she frequently got them and her mom made them eat lots of raisins. Don't know what vitamin that has but she said it worked for her.
(07/22/2005)By Sharon, KY
I had a chronic problem with painful canker sores for years. I seemed to have them all the time. I finally discovered that if I stayed away from Vitamin C supplements, citrus fruits of all kinds - limes, oranges, grapefruits (I love all of these), many flavored teas, hard candies flavored with citrus - I don't get them. I broke down and had two Margaritas earlier in the evening and I am starting to pay for that treat. I can feel the reactions developing already. I thought very high doses of Lysine use to help them clear up faster. By very high doses I mean at least 1200mg daily for a few days. The remedy, however, was finding the thing that ignited them and that was very difficult. The only thing that helped me with the pain was Orabase.
I can take a regular vitamin supplement but cannot take Vitamin C supplements for some reason.
I have to be particularly careful in Thai and Mexican restaurants because they both use a lot of lime (and I love the taste of lime!)
(07/22/2005)
By Rae
Arm and Hammer toothpaste is really good for avoiding canker sores in general. It contains baking soda and doesn't have SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate- causes them)
(07/26/2005)
By nicole
I usually get them when I'm super stressed or right before my period. I use orajel for pain, but the pain it causes for about 30 seconds before it begins numbing is worse than the relief.
(09/01/2005)
I use Zinc picolinate 30 2 times per day and never get canker sores now .If I run out I have them in 4 days
(09/01/2005)
I am surprised no one has mentioned Triamcinolone. It is a prescrption medicine, a paste, that works great. If you really suffer from canker sores, take a trip to your doctor and ask for it by name. You may also talk to your doctor about a steroid to help boost your immune system.
I have tried all of the remedies mentioned in this forum as I have continusly suffered from canker sores for 21 years now. Triamcinolone, for me, is the best.
(12/16/2005)
By Leslie
I have had a bad case of canker sores in my month, going on the 9th day, I have tried Canka, rinising with warm salt water, putting salt directly on the sores and Lyzine, nothing seems to kick it into recovery mode, Thriftyfun.com HELP Canker Girl.
(12/31/2005)
By Lisa
Buttermilk. I had a canker sore in my mouth for over a week. I tried a number of remedies, but none of them worked for me. My Father told me to drink buttermilk. I drank a cup of buttermilk (holding each swallow to the sore for a bit) and the next day, the soar was gone. He told me that it may take a few days of drinking a cup a day, but it only took one for me.
(01/12/2006)
by dajackson
Teabags work awesome. Rinsing with salt water helps. To curb swelling put ice on it. Hugs
(02/03/2006)
By kay-k
Use Vitamin B12. It's round and yellow or sometimes pink. It looks like a large pimple. It really works. And drink water. I learned about this in Med School. I recommend this to all my patients. I hope it works. It's been successful since the 1700's.
(02/19/2006)
By Doctor Manette
I have just tried a used tea bag, and it is working splendly.
(02/20/2006) By Xavier
I am so glad to have found this remedy. My husband has gotten 3 canker sores in his mouth, so we are going to try a few remedies. Thanks everyone.
(02/20/2006)By Anne
I get canker sores all the time and I came up with a solution. It goes away faster if you pour salt on the canker sore but that is really painful. For no pain at all, you can mix salt and water to make salt water and keep it in the canker sore area in your mouth for a while (around 3 to 5 minutes) and do that with warm water for 2 times a day and it should be gone in about 1 to 2 weeks.
(03/19/2006)By Jonathon
Hi, warm salt water did work.
(03/24/2006)
By Mike
An acidic stomach aggravates (causes??) my canker sores. To relieve the pain, make them go away, and neutralize stomach acid, I drink bicarbonate soda (baking soda and water), or eat some TUMs (or use your favorite remedy for acid indigestion).
Yogurt sounds like a great idea to get that good bacteria balanced in the tummy. Makes perfect sense. I'm gonna try it.
By sylviecy
I started getting these things years ago, especially during stressful times such as finals for awhile they went away, but just this last week one appeared on my gum. What I do on a regular is rinse my mouth out with peroxide before brushing and now that this thing has come I directly apply extra peroxide on with a Q-tip after brushing. This has worked for me for years, I hope that others will find it useful.
(04/13/2006)By T
For years during high school I would get awful canker sores on my tongue. I would have them for weeks at a time and tried all of these things I read here. Someone recommended Tea Tree Oil to me. I used it and it can heal some canker sores in just a couple days. I only get one or two a year now but only for a few days.
(05/27/2006)
By Hillary
By Nick
COLGATE ORABASE SOOTHE-N-SEAL
I read all of these wonderful tips and other resources and came up with a few must haves to fight canker sores.
My story: So I had this canker soar on my tongue (OUCH!!!). I couldn't talk. I went to the store and grabbed the COLGATE ORABASE and everything is much better. I can talk and eat without worry. this is what it does...
Instantly Relieves Pain (Really Good), Protects & Promotes Healing (Protects is the Key)
(08/19/2006)
By Canker Soar Fighter
I am a long time sufferer and nothing worked until I tried Tea Tree Oil. Just a dab and hold it on there for a bit, rinse and spit out. Once or twice a day and the pain stops and the life span of that buggar is reduced to 2-3 days instead of a painful 7-10.
(08/24/2006)
By Widestrides
I find that taking regular doses of pomegranate juice works for me. Once a day should do it.
You can gargle with it as well and rinse your mouth out with it.
(08/29/2006)
By Liz
Dampen a green tea bag on the canker sore and leave it on for about fifteen minutes. Or you can try making a paste of arm & hammer baking soda and leave it on for five min.
(12/04/2006)
By Kelsey
By Lindsay
I get these about once to twice a month allways in the same general areas of my mouth what can help keep them away? I'm so tiered of them. email rose_marie822000 @ yahoo . com
(01/20/2007)
I am eleven years old, I have recently got my very first canker sore, two ways that I find quite effective are: putting kleenex-tissue between the sore and your mouth, that way it allows the sore to get air, causing it to get better, putting ice on the sore does not make it go away but it relieves pain and numbs your mouth. Apple sider and vinegar also works well. Put a tea bag on the sore and hold it there, even know it may hurt, put lots of pressure on it, trust me it will help (green tea works best because on all of the natural herbs). Also, make sure that you do not eat to much sugar, brush lightly upon the sore spot and around it, gargle salt water ever night and make sure that your toothpaste does not contain more than 2% of sodium or any sodium-lauryl sulphate, because those harmful chemicals will irritate the canker sore. I hope that you feel better, as I know how painful they can become. Thank you for your time, good luck with getting rid of your awful canker sore(s). And I truly hope that some of these suggestions work for you. Thank you.
(03/05/2007)
By Taylorann
The Dr told us to mix 1 teapson of liquid Benadryl w/1 teaspon of Hydrogen Peroxide, then use a quetip and swab the entire mouth with it. So far it has helped my kids. Hope this works for you guys as well
(03/20/2007)
By Mother of 2 w/Canker Soars
Peroxide directly on it cleared it up in 2 days (03/21/2007)
By kap
Best thing is to put salt on your finger and put it directly on the sore. People complain that it's too painful, but they exaggerate. It numbs the pain for a long time and helps heal it.
By Mo
Canker sores tend to run in the family so my paternal grandmother told me to dip my finger into some honey and "put it directly on the sore." The canker sore should be gone within 2-3 days. Also, drink lots of water, not juices or whatever, only water.
(06/18/2007)
Buy a toothpaste that DOES NOT HAVE the ingredient Sodium Laurel Sulfate. I used to get canker sores all the time, then I switched toothpaste, and after about 3 months, I stopped getting them. Now I get about 1 a year.
It is a little hard to find, but well worth it. Good luck! (06/24/2007)
By Erin
I just tried a new remedy and it seemed to help the pain and provide a protective coating right away! I swished a mouthful of liquid antacid for about 30 seconds, spit it out, and then repeated that just one more. I ate about 15 minutes later and NO pain while eating.
Rembrandt Canker Sore Toothpaste is also helpful! (06/27/2007)
By Amanda
I recently had a canker sore right inside my lip. Unfortunately it was to close so the outside of my lip that you could actually see the white bump when I smiled or opened my mouth. Rubbing toothpaste on it keeps it numb for a while. But doesn't cure it. I couldn't rinse with peroxide because the canker was to close to the outside of my mouth. So I took a tissue and put peroxide on it and put an immense amount of pressure inside my lip. The canker went away in a matter of 3 days. Putting salt directly on it stings put definitely helps. Baking soda being turned into a paste or a powder directly on the canker works too.
(07/19/2007)
By Sarah
I use large pieces of salt (like rock salt) but it's meant for cooking with. place it on the sore for a couple minutes, take it out of your mouth, repeat throughout the day.
(07/31/2007)
By Joey
Try using Flaxseed oil or any other Omega 3 Fatty acid supplement. Omega 3's will reduce the underlying acidic condition within the body. This is the main cause of canker sores. Excess body acid forms a miniature ulcer in the mouth, which just like a stomach ulcer burns a hole into the skin. Vitamin C also helps too. You should notice a huge decrease in canker sores within a few weeks of use.
(08/12/2007)
By Michael
Warm tea bag works great :)
(08/28/2007)
By Chris
I get canker sores all the time and I can never seem to find anything that works for me. I used my dad's prescription mouthwash and that worked, but now its gone and I cant find anything to heal the ones I'm getting now. Email me with some remedies.
servedalarockstar AT hotmail.com (09/02/2007)
By Tia
If you guys are getting "canker sores" on the back of your throat you need to see your doctor immediately. There's a very good chance that you have strep throat and you need antibiotics. If you're having a hard time eating or drinking water then it is especially important for you to get to your doctor immediately. You don't need to put up with the pain and you SHOULD NOT WAIT ANY LONGER, because its a bacterial infection that wont go away without prescription antibiotics.
(09/28/2007)
By Emilee
I'm 15 years old and just got my first canker sore ever. Its inside my lip, close to the base of my teeth. It hurts to eat, and sometimes to talk. I had tried 1 tablespoon salt with water, and after that wasn't working, I tried 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking soda together in 4 oz. of water. The salt/baking soda worked better than just salt with water, but I eventually just took and poured straight salt onto the canker sore and used a Q-tip to push it down and around the sore. The straight salt seems to be helping numb the pain and heal the sore. Hope this helps you all out!
(10/10/2007)
By Kelly
Put salt directly on the sore which can be pretty painful and then put honey on it after you swish out the salt.
The tea bag is also a great remedy.
(10/27/2007)
By Olga
Just an FYI, a "canker sore" near or on your tonsils is knows as tonsillitis (like strep throat). You should see a doctor immediately because nothing but antibiotics will work on that.
(11/07/2007)
By Stacy
Peroxil is a mouthwash with a peroxide base. It gets rid of bacteria in your mouth. It might not cure it but it will hinder more from coming.
(11/14/2007)
By lilmiss
Try using "oracort" ointment. You need to have it prescribed by a doctor but it helps with the inflammation. It's a corticosteroid.
(12/05/2007)
By Dee
Typically the best remedy is start taking Lysine pills. It works for both canker sores or cold sores as well.
When you feel the canker sore starting to form, take several L-lysine pills (natural supplement), I usually take at least four, once in the morning and once in the evening. If you start soon enough, it will quit forming. If already formed, it will heal faster.
L-Lysine is an essential amino acid. L-Lysine is essential for maintenance of nitrogen balance. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and help fuel skeletal muscles. Each tablet supplies 500 mg of free-form L-Lysine. Kosher and Vegetarian. As a dietary supplement, take one to three tablets three times daily, an hour before meals or on an empty stomach.
(12/11/2007)
By Elizabeth
When I was younger, I got canker sores not too frequently, but now I'm 23. I've been getting them very recently and sometimes multiple ones. I usually bear with them until they go away (as painful and miserable as they make me feel), but I got one earlier this week and yesterday I bit the area twice while eating because it was so swollen. The first time I could see a blood shot near it that got worst after the second bite. I said enough is enough, someone must have a remedy for these things. I came across this page and in desperate hope to get rid of it, I tried everything.
I actually was looking at the wrong forms at first because I was looking at Cold Sores (which are actually outside of the mouth) and it said to try vinegar. So I put vinegar on it in the morning and surprisingly it felt a little better for a while. Later I started reading more and discovered it's actually a Canker sore I have. After reading this page, I went home and after eating lunch (which involved some yogurt) I first put salt on it. It hurt A LOT but I just kept it there.
After that I held a cotton swab of peroxide on it. I rinsed my mouth and used the other side of the swab to put some tea tree oil on it. By that time, the area was really puffy and swollen. I thought "Oh no, I overdid it." Even though it was puffy and irritated, it didn't seem to hurt too much. Maybe after all the salt pain, I numbed it. Who knows?
In the night I put the warm tea bag on it.. then brushed my teeth and then dabbed it with some more tea tree oil before heading to bed.
This morning, I woke up and the sore is a lot bigger. It now takes up the whole area that was puffy and swollen yesterday. But the weird thing about it is that it doesn't hurt as much. I mean there's still a slight pain but I don't feel it running through nerves of my mouth and hurting my tooth. It's still a little bulky like i can still feel it's there, but not swollen enough to bite it again (hopefully). The pain is 95% better and feels like it's on it's way to disappearing. Even though it looks REALLY bad.
So in summary, I think I tried everything except the buttermilk (cause I had none), and the alum (cause I still don't know what that is). So I can't tell you which one helped. I hope by tomorrow, it's a lot smaller or gone completely but I think I'll keep putting the tea tree oil until then since it's the only one that doesn't really irritate it. I think I did enough of that yesterday.
(12/21/2007)
By Sun
By Holly
I have been getting cankers my entire life and still have not found the perfect remedy. Zilactin B works, depending on the location of the sore. Right now I have one on my tongue (right under my teeth so every time I eat or speak, it kills) and in the way back of my throat. Talk about painful. I am now using glyoxide, baking soda and salt water since I can't reach the one in the back. I am going to try the tea tree oil and buttermilk next, I guess. Though I have been dealing with them my whole life, I have not been able to pinpoint them, except when I cut my gums with chips or something and it's obvious. I don't even know where to begin to narrow it down.
(12/30/2007)
By D
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