What Is A Canker Sore?
Have you ever had a sore in your mouth that hurt pretty bad? Did it take forever to go away? You probably had a canker sore.
So just what is a canker sore? Canker sores (aphthous ulcers or aphthous stomatitis) are small ulcers or lesions located in the mouth usually at the base of the gums in soft tissue. Canker sores can also be located on the inner lining of the cheeks, the tongue, and the inside of your lips.
Canker sores are not contagious and usually go away on their own within 1-2 weeks.
Canker sores can be painful however, and you can quickly get rid of them if you follow the tip I am about to give you…but first lets talk about the symtoms of canker sores.
What Are The Symptoms of Canker Sores?
Common symptoms of canker sores are:
- A tingling or burning sensation appears usually on the inside of the mouth 24 hours before it appears.
- A white, gray or yellow crater appears inside the mouth with a red border surrounding it.
- The sores become quite painful and it can be hard to drink or eat with the pain.
You may also experience the following: (these symptoms are much less common)
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Feeling run down, or sluggish
Contact your doctor or dentist if canker sores last more than 3 weeks, if you have a fever or if they start to spread throughout your mouth.
Canker Sores Are Not The Same As Fever Blisters
Many confuse canker sores with fever blisters or cold sores. They are not the same.
Fever blisters or cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). They are contagious and usually appear on the outside of the mouth or lip area.
Canker sores are not caused by a virus and are not contagious. It can be difficult to get rid of a canker sore, however I have a sure proof solution to help you get rid of a canker sores pain within minutes.
What is The Magic Ingredient To Get Rid of Canker Sores?
It can be hard to heal a canker sore because it is inside your mouth. It is very moist and that can make it very difficult to heal a wound.
To speed up the healing time, I have found it to be beneficial to remove the moisture from the ulcer. This can be hard to do because the mouth is aways a moist area.
Alum Powder is used for making pickles and pulls the water out of the cucumber. It does the same for a canker sore too. By adding alum powder to canker sores, you remove the moisture from the ulcer. When you remove the moisture, the ulcer has a chance to heal.
How To Naturally Get Rid of Canker Sores
So to naturally get rid of canker sores, you can use Alum Powder, a common spice found in most kitchens. Here is how!
Follow these steps to naturally get rid of canker sores:
- Place a small amount of alum (about a size of a pea) directly onto the canker sore.
- Allow it to sit on the canker sore for 60 seconds. It does not taste good, it is quite bitter. Do not swallow the alum!
- After 60 seconds spit out your saliva and the alum. DO NOT RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER! Within several minutes to 24 hours the pain will disappear.
The ulcer may stay for a day or two after you treat the canker sore, but the pain will be gone. If the pain is not gone after 24 hours, reapply the alum with a second application and repeat the steps above.
That’s it! So easy and effective. Next time you have a canker sore be sure to try this method out!
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Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/canker_sores/article.htm
Disclaimer: Use this home remedy at your own risk. Like nutmeg and cinnamon, ingesting one ounce or more of alum is considered toxic to humans. Not recommended for women pregnant or nursing and kids. Consult your physician before trying home remedies.
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Isn’t alum toxic to have large amounts? I’d be nervous to stick it in my mouth and leave it there.
You are putting a pea size amount on your ulcer. This is not a large amount. And you spit it out after 60 seconds.
Powdered alum should NOT be used for that. You are literally aluminum on an area of your body with a lot of blood flow and think how close it is to your brain. In patients that had diet and had Alzheimer’s disease, in many, high amounts of this were found. I don’t know about you, but after seeing my husband’s grandfather die and had complications of Alzheimer’s I’d rather keep my mind and deal with the sore. Take a small dose of L-Lysine and you won’t get them in the first time and it is exceedingly safe-a vitamin My husband takes it when he thinks he may have one coming on and it doesn’t get to even a full sore. This came from a MD who also had her Doctorate in Holistic medicine.
This is from Alz.org:
Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Reality: During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.
This is from the Canadian Alzheimer’s Society:
Most researchers no longer regard aluminum as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. However, some researchers are still examining whether some people are at risk because their bodies have difficulties in handling foods containing the metals copper, iron, and aluminum.
Actually my Grandfather was selling aluminum pots and pans while he was attending college in the late 20’s, early 30.s. That is all they ever used. Then they had an aluminum cup on their sink to drink water out of. They also had those colored aluminum cups they drank out of in the 50’s. They had them till they passed. Both my Grandfather and my Grandmother had Alzheimer’s. My Mother ,after growing up in their house, also always had aluminum pans, some from way back when her father sold them. She also had Alzheimer’s. Maybe it’s just a coincident. Maybe not.
you would have to EAT/Ingest/swallow over half of a small mccormicks jar for it to be toxic
a pea sized amount that is later spit out is not going to be harmful.
remember this is the stuff in pickles, so if you’ve ever eaten a pickle, you’ve eaten trace amounts of this compound. not to worry.
Aluminum is found in elevated amounts in the substantia nigra of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients, so I would recommend we err on the safe side and avoid aluminum when possible, regardless of any one particular experiment or our current ignorance of causality..
So as a daily routine I wouldn’t recommend it, but for the occasional ulcer I wouldn’t worry much.
If you are dead set against using it, I can recommend dousing the ulcer with Hydrogen Peroxide, allowing it to sit for a minute before spitting it out. Will have similar results.
What i find helps even more after spitting the Alum is immediately applying some Orajel mouth sore gel. Once applied and active, it numbs the covered parts and almost creates a film over wherever in your mouth it touches. What’s great is that the alum dries the canker sore, and the Orajel prevents it from contact while still active
That said, I find that the Alum has little no to effect once the Orajel is already on and has formed the film. Although initially it’d make sense to do this to feel little pain, I just dont think that Alum can really get into the crevice of the sores.
I’m sure you can buy more expensive creams, but the Orajel is easily obtainable in most chain stores, and is relatively cheap
Ignore the foil hat people – I used this remedy for my kids, my mom used it for me, her mom for her; no problems. It works quickly and effectively. The truth is that there is NOTHING in nature or otherwise that is not toxic to the human body once enough of it is ingested/inhaled/applied. Nothing. You can die from drinking too much water. An atmosphere too rich in oxygen would cause you acute oxygen poisoning (yes, that’s a thing). The point is that few things are inherently ‘bad’ in small/moderate amounts and fear mongering on the subjects of food containers, vaccinations, medications, etc is never backed by credible science or real life cases of people being harmed by small or moderate amounts of these things.
You have common sense. Simply use it. In this case, don’t eat 8 jars of alum powder (as though anyone needs to be told)
Ignore DERP. Vaccinations have thimerol, which is mercury. Why would anyone want to put mercury into their body. Derp is simply a foul hat person, and is directing you into the wrong direction. Do your research. Common sense can only be used when one has enough informationa dn education. More people die from pharma drugs and hospital and doctor mistakes than drunk drivers and accidents on the road. Being careful and educated and asking questions is not fear mongering. It’s showing concern and some intelligence. Big Pharma would have you believe they are god and their poisons are pretty safe. Okay Derp you go for the Vax . The rest of us will be smarter than you.
First, it’s thimerosal. Second, according to the FDA, it only exists in trace amounts in all vacines for children under 6, excluding influenze
You know it’s not aluminum metal is potassium aluminate it’s totally safe I can make it in my home Laboratory.
Think ur so smart cause u have a docterate degree ooo big deal ? what a joke
Doctorate is spelled wrong
DEZNUTZ lol you spelled doctorate wrong.
I agree. I came across this. I was getting them every week. That is bad for a singer who is always on stage. I put a little on the floor right before the sore spread it out . UC I knew it was going to spread. But when I did that 460 seconds and spit it out I felt no pain and could eat right away. It took less than a day I was eating normal and did not notice when it went away. This is awesome now I keep it in my medicine cabinet
Tony,
If you’re getting that many canker sores, you are no doubt deficient in zinc, along with perhaps some other vitamins/minerals. If your diet is clean (no processed foods, sugar, etc.) and you keep your immune system up to par, the canker sores should be gone. Many yrs. ago my husband was getting them but wasn’t interested in taking supplements, until after one episode when he had several in his mouth at once and really suffering. After taking zinc, he rarely ever got any after that.
I wear a lower partial and after chewing a nut which got beneath the partial, I woke yesterday with a horrible canker sore. A friend had told me about the Alum. so thought I’d check to see what feedback I might find.
Where can you purchase it
at the grocery store with the spices.
Has anyone experienced some swelling after applying?
Yes!! I believe some people can have allergic reactions. This has happened to me twice now, both times I put on a bit of alum before bed, spat it out as directed, and woke up the next morning with a fat lip. Too bad because it really does work to heal the sore faster 🙁
From the comments below, It is clear that a lot of people find certain products give them these mouth ulcers. I discovered after 35 years, that my toothpaste caused mine. I changed from Colgate to Red Seal and when I can get that, (I live on an island) I use baby toothpaste. When my son started getting them I realised that he had the same problem with the toothpaste as I do. Changed him and walah! no more suffering. Its not always the toothpaste, but that is a great place to start the investigation. Toothpaste and mouthwash. Hope this helps some of you.
Evette I have suffered from canker sores for years and also found out it is the toothpaste- I was told the sorbitol in tooth-paste and whitening gums cause it. I can only use colgate red label or original crest
The best thing for canker sores is sea salt. Put a small amount of it, try to keep it on the sore for a minute and then rinse your mouth. Do it one or two more times in the same session and done. This is my grandmother recipe. I used it with my children and now with my grandchildren.
Me too
I have had one for years i think, but i have always had a pain in the same spot for years so ya
Great post Halle! My teen gets these sometimes and I’ll make sure to have some alum on hand now!
Just forwarn him…it burns like crazy! My mom used to do this to me when I was little. I hated it!
I use Grapes Leaves instead of Alum when I can my pickles. Thinking Grape Leaves may do the same thing.
I think grape leaves and oak leaves work when making pickles because of the high concentration of tannin in them (tea bags are said to work as well). I wonder if tannin has anything in common with alum?
Tannin in walnuts is what caused mine. Hmmm?
u can also use cream of tartar
thank you all. Ava I will try Cream of Tartar. And yes the ulcer is under my bottom partial.
Coconut oil works too!
coconut oil did nothing for me… I kept thinking that it should because it has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties, but it only relieved the pain for a few minutes
I also found that it was a good temporary pain reliever but used it last night and the pain was back about half an hour later.
I’ll double check if it works?
I’m in my 60’s and as a child, I got a lot of canker sores. My father always told me to use alum on my sores. It stings and tastes bad, but it works wonders. The sores disappear within a day or two and only the worst ones needed two treatments.
When I stopped eating wheat products, I stopped getting canker sores. The article doesn’t say what causes them. I found out through trial and error. I’ve been gluten/wheat free for three years and only get a canker sore within hours after unintentionally ingesting wheat. Get rid of the wheat, your cold sores will be eliminated.
That is great to know. I only occasionally eat gluten but since I went “almost gluten free” I rarely get canker sores anymore. However, I also am processed sugar free so maybe that has something to do with it as well. I wonder if different things (food intolerances) can trigger canker sores on different people?
I agree With you when I stop using sugar it gone form me about 90% I suffer from it long time and it came to me on frequent basis .
I noticed the same thing.. when i eliminated wheat/grain.. my canker sores have disappeared… thank goodness.. because i seemed to always have one and they are painful!
you have a gluten allergy i got my first canker sore this weekend im 62 definatly not gluten related for me
Why do you say “definitely not gluten-related for me”? Gluten intolerances, or gluten-containing-food allergies, can appear at any age, for a number of reasons, many of which are not well-understood. I was 51 when I developed a wheat allergy, and now whenever I consume wheat-containing foods I get canker sores.
Hmmm? I haven’t eaten wheat in many years but have a canker sore as we speak. Thinking it came from the walnuts even though I soaked them and dried them. Frustrating for sure
Kerry- Don’t get CANKER SORES mixed up with COLD-SORES, they are nit the same.
You can use alum in the form of a little stick. I think you can buy it by men’s shaving materials. It’s called A Styptic Pencil and it’s made of Aluminum Sulfate. It acts and tastes the same way as alum but is easier to pinpoint the canker sore, especially in hard to reach places. I find that if you can apply it at the first hint of a canker sore, you can stop it before it even becomes an open canker sore.
What about topical zinc? It also dries out the area and is anti-viral?
Zinc throat drops will actually cause ulcers for many people.
Zinc has been used for decades to calm symptoms, reduce the duration of, and prevent the common cold. The human body uses zinc to support the health of the immune system and the eyes. It is also important for cell health, wound healing, and protein synthesis (ODS, 2011). Zinc can be found naturally in foods such as oysters, beef, beans, and oatmeal. It is also added to enriched grain products like bread and cereal. Only very small amounts of zinc are needed by the body to function properly. Severalmanufacturers sell zinc lozenges, oral sprays, and capsule supplements. Most zinc lozenges provide up to twice the recommended daily allowance of zinc for children and adults. Consuming a zinc lozenge every two hours when cold symptoms are present is unlikely to cause zinc overdose, however
Although studies have shown mixed results on the effectiveness of zinc, there is little controversy over its side effects. Zinc can cause metallic taste, local irritation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other problems. These side effects are more likely to occur with heavy or frequent zinc supplementation than from single lozenges. Overuse can cause coughing, fever, stomach pains, fatigue, and problems with blood iron levels. In large doses (10–30 gm.), zinc can be fatal (NIH, 2011).
It doesn’t cause cancer though.
Oh gosh, really!
We’ve found that salt works very well. Salt dries out the canker sore and we’ve seen results very quickly!
But it stings soo much! I cried even because of the burning sensation.???
Yes it burns so bad …
Claire Fiahta Odell, was this a statement or a question?
I suck on l-lysine pills. That works for me. Tastes nasty, but it’s effective.
I noticed i got a canker sore every time I had something with soy lecithin, especially Peanut M&Ms. At first I naively thought it was the chocolate itself but after having soy-free chocolates I dont see the sores appearing at all. Now when I have a tiny piece of anything with soy lecithin in it I get a sore within hours. I’m still perplexed by it, but at least I”m usually canker sore-less and that’s wonderful in itself .
I seem to get the sores also after eating peanut M&MS. I think maybe it is the color coating ? What is soy lecithin?
A doctor told me that canker sores were caused by being deficient in Vit B. Whenever I get canker sores, I realize I haven’t been eating well and need to take a vit B.
My Mom used this every time we got one of these darn canker sores. Believe me, it works just GREAT. My Mom would have been 100 this year and I believe her Mom taught her this secret. It has obviously been around for quite some time.
I’ve been doing this for years as I get them from having Lupus. I lean over the sink with my mouth open and let the saliva drain out for several minutes. Sounds gross, but the sore is usually gone the next day if not sooner.
I have been using salt to achieve the same end for over 20 years. It will sting at first but fruits it up fast and sore is gone in no longer than a day.
*Dries* it up fast…
This is wonderful…I am 62 years old, but always remember my Mom giving me a pinch of Alum on my cancer sores and it worked like magic. There is a gel that I purchased a number of years later called mytriciean (sp) that worked like alum and cannot find it in my local stores anymore….our son also get’s them, so I will purchase some alum and know it will work, it always has. Wonderful post…thank you so much!
I used to get mouth ulcers all the time. I found my two major causes were Sodium Laurly sulfate and citric acid.
Sodium Louryl Sulfate is the foaming action in 99% of toothpastes. For this I switched to Jason’s ($8 at the health food stores) or Natural White….from the Dollar store. For the citric acid issue, I can either limit the acid or take an Pepcid or Zantac before the eating more acidic foods. It has cut the number down to 1 every couple of years vs almost continual.
YES. I eliminated SLS from my toothpaste and went from always having at least one canker sore (one time i had 9) down to only getting one every once in a while, usually after biting my lip.
YES! I was plagued by cancer sores from childhood. I used alum, but it was only slightly effective. When I realized that the SLS in my TOOTHPASTE was causing the canker sores my life changed. I only used SLS-free toothpaste from a health food store and I haven’t had a canker sore in years.
I would be concerned about this because I think alum in metal. No wonder it kills whatever it comes into contact with.
I think you need to be concerned…
Let’s see alum is used in,
-cosmetics you had better quit because they use in them
-Alum’s antiperspirant and antibacterial properties contribute to its traditional use as an underarm deodorant
-has been used since Roman times for purifying water.
-Eat pickles? They use it in making pickles
-Alum is used as the acidic component of some commercial baking powders
-Solutions containing alum may be used to treat cloth, wood, and paper materials to increase their resistance to fire.
-Alum is also used in fire extinguishers to smother chemical and oil fires
-Alum is used to clarify water by neutralizing the electrical double layer surrounding very fine suspended particles,
-Alum has been used to stop bleeding in cases of hemorrhagic cystitis
-Alum is used in the treatment of canker sores in the mouth, as it has a significant drying effect to the area and reduces the irritation felt at the site.
-Alum is an ingredient in some recipes for homemade modeling compounds intended for use by children. These are often called “play clay” or “play dough” for their similarity to “Play-Doh
Since most of us have had some contact with Alum over our lifetimes, I doubt in small doses that it will kill us on contact given how it is used.
Applying castor oil to scalp, navel & feet. (most of times mouth ulcer caused due to heat in body)
honey/ ghee on the location helps to heal
It can be caused due to stress/ anger (I know someone who gets frequent mouth ulcers due to this reason)
If mouth ulcers appear before menstrual cycle watch for salt intake. (esp 7days prior to start of menstrual cycle)
And also taking Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) twice a day helps to heal faster (incorporate foods which has Vit B2)
I don’t comment usually but seeing that so many are reserved with this alum for safety reasons, I just wanted to add that in my country of origin (Macedonia) we use quite effectively BAKING SODA for canker sores. Do it exactly in the same way as proposed in this article with alum.
Since alum is in baking soda then I can see why it would work.
You have baking soda confused with baking powder which may contain aluminum. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate while baking powder is a mixture of baking soda with different ingredients depending on the brand.
I’ve never tried alum because I found that baking soda, which I had on hand, worked great for my daughter’s canker sores when she was young.
I was JUST thinking that my family used baking soda for mouth ulcers when I was a kid, but thought it could be a false memory until reading your comment. 🙂
My mom always made us kids use alum on canker sores and it did work, super pucker power, but it did work! I forgot all about doing this, thanks for the reminder.
I have suffered from for years from canker Sores, they comes to me every month
No medicine to heal me until I discovered that the cause was that toothpaste containing Sodium Laurel Sulfate.. I have three years that I use toothpaste “SLS free” and canker sores disappear forever from me..
I find salt water does it.
Same here.
I have bracies so getting canker sores suck but I find that salt works it burns super bad but works great all you got to do is dry your sore with a paper towel and then dip your finger in salt put it on your sore wait a few seconds then rise your mouth with salt water then dry your mouthe with the paper towel then your pain is gone
Baking Soda works GREAT- AWESOME every time & is NON TOXIC I have been using it for 37 YEARS
learned of it from an old school Nurse. Try it you will LOVE IT !!
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD !!
SHALOM SHALOM !!
sincerely
jeff ellis
So Jeff… Do you apply the baking soda in the same manner as the alum? i.e. leave it on for a minute — don’t rinse — then spit it out.
Just wet a Q tip with water then touch it into the baking soda pick up a clump then put it directly on the canker sore & leave it there to dissolve away at it’s own pace .It works so GOOOOD it is simply AMAZING !!
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD !!
SHALOM SHALOM !!
sincerely
jeff ellis
Just put it on & leave it . It will not harm you .
You know that baking soda contains alum, right?
Baking soda does not contain alum—some baking powders may.
I have a Canker sore right now , I read the comments and used salt !! Guess what ? The pain is gone already and It only took about a minute , salt is the easiest and best tasting way to go lol
I’d avoid alum(inum) anything. For pain, dab a bit of clove oil on it. Speed up healing by gargling with salt water or diluted peroxide. For long term treatment heal the gut. Gums and gut share the same lining so canker sores in the mouth may indicate same condition in your belly. Gluten free did it for me.
I’d stay away from alum since it is a kind of aluminum, a toxic ingredient used in some baking powders and many under-the-arm products. Aluminum is capable of crossing the brain barrier and accumulating in the brain. Doing a thorough googgle search for medical articles on this kind of toxicity would be helpful.
I swear by dilute hydrogen peroxide. I also periodically brush my teeth with baking soda and salt. I haven’t had a canker sore in years.
I have found that a little peroxide on a Q-tip and dabbed into canker works amazingly quick…however it really stings but definitely worth a few seconds of endurance to get rid of the pesky canker sore.
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Just regular tea bags, like lipton or does there have to be a specific kind?
I never comment on things like this, but I was in desperate need of finding a solution to my canker sore! I get them a few times every year and they are tolerable, but this time around it was so bad that by the end of the day, I could barely talk and had the worst pain/discomfort ever. After some research and reading about this blog, I decided to try the alum powder. I applied the powder about 4 hours ago and the pain is almost completely gone as well as the canker sore! I will always be using this remedy from now on. Thank you so much!!!!
Oh man I have a big canker sore right now and it hurts soooo bad 🙁 I’m trying to find a way to get rid of it and I’m 26 and have been getting them for a while and haven’t found a way to help them go away. My whole lip got really big and swollen last night ? All I no is I hate when they spread and I will try anything?! Please help 🙁
I know this is almost a year late, but I thought I’d share a tip. It’s both preventive and curative. My mom struggled for years with canker sores. Then, someone told her that eating a few raisins would help. (I think grapes would as well, but it’s easier to keep raisins in the house perpetually.)
Every day she eats a small palmful of raisins, only about the size of a gumball or so. She never gets canker sores at all anymore! It’s easy and cheap.
Okay so I just read all these lovely post and I now would like to no where I can find this stuff I can put on the sore? I’m ready with my keys in my hand to hit the store as soon as I no 🙂
Everything is toxic in large amounts. That is why they say use a small amount… womp womp.
Yes, my father taught me to put alum on canker sores when I was a teenager. Great success! Only one sore was bad enough to blister after treatment. Thank you for the reminder!
This is what I’ve always done! Might have to do it more than once, but it was a lifesaver when I had braces!
OK, I was replying to someone using peroxide & a Q-tip!
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I have used alum many times and it does work. What I do is cut a small 2 inch square of coffee filter or paper towel, put alum in the middle and fold it up into a little envelope. I then wet it so the alum soaks through easier and hold it on the sore for as long as I can stand it. I keep a spit cup handy as you do produce saliva and you don’t want to swallow. The pain disappears within 1 day.
Thanks so much for this tip!
YOU ARE AWESOE
I always have canker sores one after the other or even more at once. some say it might be the toothpaste Im using,now I am not sure..Please help me get rid of them.
I m using hemoform serum which is really help me to get rid of canker sores.
I believe a common cause of ulcers is sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, commonly found in toothpaste and some mouthwashes. It is also regularly found in shampoo but obviously you don’t put that in your mouth.
so what kind of toothpaste do you use
Just salt or salt water to get rid of canker sore
My father always told me to use Silver Nitrate sticks on an canker sore.
I’m doing it right now, hope it works, I had 8 sores at once when I was 7 and I cried a lot on that time, only now that my mother told me this, hope this really works
I bought Oregano Essential oil just for the purpose of ridding myself of the horrible canker sore on my tongue. I have heard it disappears overnight but it DIDN’T! How long is this going to take?
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I have canker sores all throught out my mouth and starting down my throat can anyone tell me of something i can drnk to remove these fast????
try Benadryl! Go to the Dr. and ask for Magic Mouthwash – it’s Benadryl and Mayloxx if you want to make it yourself. Crush up benadryl and put in the Mayloxx – swish and spit. The Magic Mouthwash prescription also has Lidocane (sp?) in it as a numbing agent.
As someone who gets several canker sores a month (often lasting weeks at a time, making me unable to sleep, eat, or speak) I can safely say that salt does not accomplish the same results as alum. Hydrogen peroxide may work if I can get to it before the ulcer’s crater forms, but once it ulcerates, it won’t help. For this kind of pain and frequency, I want a SURE thing. Powdered alum is the only thing that works for me.
try Benadryl! Go to the Dr. and ask for Magic Mouthwash – it’s Benadryl and Mayloxx if you want to make it yourself. Crush up benadryl and put in the Mayloxx – swish and spit. The Magic Mouthwash prescription also has Lidocane (sp?) in it as a numbing agent.
HemoForm Serum is the best medication for a cold sore. I have used for years and it works like gang busters.
have you seen a doctor? you might have some kind of inflammatory condition (like ulcerative colitis)
Our home remedy that I learned from my Dad is to put Baking Soda right on the Canker. It goes away within one to two days. Put it on each day. I live by this! It always works!
Oops I meant to say Cold Sore. Not canker. Put BAKING SODA ON YOUR COLD SORE! IT WORKS AND GOES AWAY IN 1 TO 2 DAYS. Put it on each day. Let it sit on there for a bit. Salivia will later mix with the Baking Soda. Swish it it around with the saliva ans let it sit for a while in the mouth. It works!
I got a sore on my tongue for the first time in my life today and tried your suggestion (I always use it for brushing teeth anyway). I sprinkled the soda on the spot and let it sit there awhile, then spit it out. Feels much better already and isn’t as big a bump as at first. Will keep applying it till it hopefully goes away.
Oops it is Canker Sore not Cold Sore. Canker is inside the mouth. Baking Soda takes it away in 1 to 2 days!
Aluminum Sulfate is what most deodorants are made out of…salt has always worked for me…
When I have had canker sores,but no alum, I have substituted a vitamin C tablet. I usually break it in half and put it right on the sore. Leave it on as long as can. It will sting just like alum, but seems to work for me.
Umm… Don’t get the concern against medicine here, but technically alum is a medicine – potassium aluminum sulfate. It’s an astringent (drying agent and vasoconstrictor). Same thing that’s found in styptic pencils that work just as well. Just because you buy it off the shelf at the grocery store doesn’t mean it’s different than something you’d get at a pharmacy, it just helps to know why what you’re using works or doesn’t. Thanks for the article, alum works well for my canker sores
I get them all the time, but I’ve found that it’s not anything having to do with diet for me. I bite my lips in my sleep sometimes, or other times during the day. Sure enough, wherever I bite ends up being a canker sore the next day or so. I assume it has something to do with the biting making it an open wound and allowing bacteria inside. I’ve always used salt, but I’m excited to try this alum powder solution! Thank you so much!
you should sleep with a night guard if you bite yourself that much. you can get a cheap one at rite aid
I swish with 1/2 peroxide and 1/2 water solution then brush my teeth with peroxide and baking soda the store is no longer store within hours and is gone by the next day..
I have Parkinson’s Disease. are canker sores related?
SLS from tooth paste also can trigger most canker sores. For me was the problem so i am getting organic tooth paste
I recommend the L-lysine. My Mother would get cold sores all over her lips. It was a constant problem. They were painful and looked horrible. After she took the L-lysine pills, she never suffered with sores again. She attributes this to the pills.
Wow all these People commenting really annoying
I got sick last week with some kind of flu. It has been over a week and still sick 1 The worst part is I also ended up getting canker sores all over one side of my mouth and slightly down my throat. I am in so much pain I can hardly swallow, wake up a lot at night from the pain etc… Gargling salt water hasn’t helped very much. But when it hurts really bad rinsing my mouth helps a bit temporarily. I think the acid in saliva irritates them ! I don’t have any alum on hand and never seen it the grocery store spice section. I am going to try backing soda…It might neutralize the acid in my saliva a bit and give m some relief..I can only hope ! The pain is intense right now…I am miserable and have had them all over my mouth and throat about 1 week now ! Don’t know how much longer I can take this pain !
you have strep throat…
I’ve been getting canker sores forever. I have 7 right nowand my lips swell. They are very painful. I just got alum. I really hope it works.I’m feeling kinda desperate for some relief.
Hi Marry,
I am really in trouble in canker sores and comes unexpectedly anytime. the lesion are very painful. This problem of canker sores are since more than ten years. kindly let me know how I overcome the problem. In your message, I did not know the alum. Please If you have any treatment so suggest me.
Thanks
Wow all these People commenting really annoying
There is no singular cause to canker sores and cutting one thing out of your diet may prevent them but it will vary from person to person. I usually get them when I don’t sleep and it has nothing to do with what I eat. You guys will inevitably fail if you try to pinpoint one singular cause of canker sores.
Here’s one that I haven’t seen listed: a raisin. My grandmother taught me to put a raisin on my cancer sore and leave it against it until it is soggy. Works like a charm.
So Michael… how long does it take before the raisin gets soggy? Does it hurt or sting? Does the pain go away immediately? Do you do it again?
My mother just eats a small, gumball sized pile of raisins every single day. She no longer gets any canker sores. I get them so infrequently that I just eat a few if one pops up (like when I bit my mouth and one formed). It’s gone within about 24 hours.
There is no pain from eating the raisin. The pain will reduce, slowly, over the next 24 hours a bit at a time. It’s not instantaneous.
“canker sore” No, raisins don’t fix cancer to my knowledge 🙂
thanks!!
I suggest rolling a (clean) paper towel into a small pad and placing that on the sore while you sleep. (It helps with moisture). You can do this after treating it otherwise. I like hydrogen peroxide and salt water the best, while mouthwash seems to give you some decent quick relief. I alternate those, and plan to experiment with essential oils a bit more.
Of course simply avoiding excessive strains on the body/immune system seems to be the best thing. Sleep, stress, diet (sugar, processed foods, starches, etc, all are suspect), and other illness all seem to be big factors. As each person is a bit different (as well as their environment) I don’t think the causes or treatments are going to be 100% identical for everybody. So just try a few until some seem to help.
I get canker sores in my mouth from stress, like lack of sleep. I have tried Marmite & it has worked. You just put a dab on the sore. It hurts like heck for a minute or two. I have had sores go away within hours of doing this. I believe it works because Marmite has lots of B vitamins including B 12. Marmite is similar to the British Vegemite but has B 12 in it.. It hasn’t always worked for me but a couple of times it was if a miracle had occurred. Hope this helps someone else out there.
I’ve got two sores in my mouth and they keep swelling up and burning don’t use deez nuts cause it could leave a burning in the throat
I remember my mother using alum on canker sores. I had forgotten about using it. Thanks for reminding me.
It didn’t work at all it burns and it sucks its hard
Jessica-i have gotten ulcers like you describe, more than a few times(and yes, it’s absolutely miserable!!) This “flu” you had just prior to the outbreak was likely your body trying to fight them off. (For me) just before a particularly bad one, I start to feel extreme tiredness; lymph nodes adjacent to where it’s going to start will start to swell and be painful-(in fact, I’m just now getting over what would have been a HUGE ulcer way back on my cheek, and the nodes were so swollen that it was causing pressure on my ear (and a little on my throat) Before I knew all this, I would have surely thought I had an ear infection, or tonsillitis, one!) also, I’ll often get a low grade fever-just like you’d get with a virus (which is what this is ‘sometimes’ caused from)..just general malaise…I can usually feel a little pinpoint hole and swelling where it’s about to pop up..and if I don’t do anything about it QUICKLY, within a day or two it’ll look like your classic ulcer, with the raised edges, white middle, and PAIN (oh the pain). The styptic pencil, powdered alum, baking soda, salt, sometimes peroxide have all helped me. But mostly the styptic pencil!! I also take Ibuprofen for the pain (just for a couple of days, if it’s REAL bad-like what I was recently experiencing) and I also started taking L-lysine tablets. During all the symptoms, I took (2) 500 mg tabs every 6 hours. I’m now taking 1 tab, 2x a day. I’m hoping this will help me in the future!!! Maybe these tips will help you too. Btw-L-lysine is an essential amino acid–do some research on it! I was VERY surprised!
Here is one of the sites on L-lysine I read–I found the part under “history” particularly interesting….something to think about!
Here is one of the sites on L-lysine I read–I found the part under “history” particularly interesting….something to think about!
http://www.drugs.com/npp/lysine.html
I have one on the bottom of my tongue, any advice how to put this stuff on the bottom of my tongue??
I was always told to wash my mouth out with warm salt water. It stings but after a few swigs it’ll be gone.
I put a slice of lemon on the canker sore; always does the job.
I get canker sores frequently and thought id try alum.I have a bad canker sore right now and I just got done putting alum on it. It stings pretty bad but I’m going to assume that’s normal. About how long after applying the alum should the canker sore stop hurting?
Silver nitrate sticks… U place the tip on the cancker sure hold it there for 30 seconds burns so bad but then the pain is completely gone and never comes back might take another day or so to heal but it wont hurt.
So… This may.. And I say may work if you do at the prod tonal stage or at the star of tingling, although I have no clinical data to confirm. The point is, when the ar a starts to tingle, should have that warning, apply your antecdote. Cankers are bacterial in origin (vs. cold sores which are viral), so an anribacterial at the tingling onset is important. As dental problems reason also we rec listerine(or any antibacterial rinse/application) during that time. The ulcer can last from 7-14 days so basically anything will just cut down on its duration. However many of my patients had irritants that provoked their cold sores: stress, biting an area in mouth, whitening paste, preservatives in pastes like salicylate acid, and low ph foods like tomatoes, pineapple, etc.. I even had a patient who broke out in cankers after chocolate!, so go ahead and try alum but this a bacterial issue and if alum doesn’t work, try other eliminations. Lysine pills cam work great on cold sores but may even have evidence to help in cankers so it can hurt t try either I. Studies I’ve read.
Milk of magnesia application just locally to sore by qtip is another recommendation I’ve heard many say cuts the duration of the ulcer!! Try them, all are different… But ultimately remember.. What caused this ulcer to appear? What can I change in my diet and uses? And I know this is bacterial, so when I feel the tingling onset, I need to apply or swish an antibacterial!
People using baking soda….you know it contains alum, right?
In small amounts alum doesn’t hurt you. If you only knew how much it is used in our societies, you would realize in small amounts it will not hurt you. Here are some examples:
-cosmetics you had better quit because they use in them
-Alum’s antiperspirant and antibacterial properties contribute to its traditional use as an underarm deodorant
-has been used since Roman times for purifying water.
-Eat pickles? They use it in making pickles
-Alum is used as the acidic component of some commercial baking powders
-Solutions containing alum may be used to treat cloth, wood, and paper materials to increase their resistance to fire.
-Alum is also used in fire extinguishers to smother chemical and oil fires
-Alum is used to clarify water by neutralizing the electrical double layer surrounding very fine suspended particles,
-Alum has been used to stop bleeding in cases of hemorrhagic cystitis
-Alum is used in the treatment of canker sores in the mouth, as it has a significant drying effect to the area and reduces the irritation felt at the site.
-Alum is an ingredient in some recipes for homemade modeling compounds intended for use by children. These are often called “play clay” or “play dough” for their similarity to “Play-Doh
Baking soda does NOT contain alum unless some manufacturer adds it—baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Baking POWDERS MAY contain alum.
As a child, when I had a canker sore, my father would apply his styptic pencil to it at bedtime, which contained alum. It was practically gone by morning.
I had terrible canker sores while on a cruise ship from too many pineapple and strawberry and acidic drinks and dishes. My cheek and lip actually started swelling from the size of the canker sores so I went to see the ships doctor and he took some q-tips and hydrogen peroxide treated each of them and the swelling and sore was gone in about 3 days.
Salt works effectively as well. It burns, harshly for the first 30 seconds, but applying some around 3 times a day for 1 miute or however long you could take it, it works. It’s be gone in around 3 days or so
Where do you find the alum powder? In a weird way I’m relieved to hear so many of you saying that toothpaste can cause them. Funny I have trouble with itchy scalp as well. It must be the ingredients in both. I will also get them instead of a virus. But they are so painful and can last longer than a virus. Not sure which is better. But thanks for all your replys.
To the walnut lady outbreak– I’ve seen many people break out in cankers after trauma from rough foods– walnuts are rough, scratch mouth, thus canker. But an allergy contributed to wheat, etc could exacerbate bringing on your canker as an immune reaction. A canker is bacterial so if you have psoriasis/eczema you have an autoimmune issue and its must likely linked somehow to th body’s way of fighting an autoimmune attack. (Coke sores are viral)
Sorry meant cankers are viral, but trauma of a rough nut crunch can encourage the outbreak of these cankers too. Always swish an antibacterial liquid such as listerine after eating something tha may be an irritant.
Sorry meant cold sores are viral(often on lips-yet cankers on inside mouth) but trauma of a rough nut crunch can encourage the outbreak of these cankers too. Always swish an antibacterial liquid such as listerine after eating something tha may be an irritant or cause pokey, rough trauma. If an outbreak, expect 7-10 days at least but cut duration with antibacterial rinse 2-3x day. Ambisol numbing gel helps endure the discomfort.
Ok lord– cankers =bacterial duration: 7-10 days
Cold sores =viral duration: 7-14 days
?
It worked for me! I suffer with canker sores off and on and sometimes they are rather large. This time I had one about 1/4″ in diameter and really painful, so I gave this remedy a try. At first, after I applied the alum as per instructions, I thought I had made a big mistake because it burned like thunder for about 30 minutes, but then it subsided. The next morning the sore didn’t hurt. It was still there of course, but it didn’t hurt. Now, 24 hours later, it is half the size and healing quickly! Amazing!! Also, I’m changing tooth paste to a natural ingredients brand….
I suffer with canker sores off and on and sometimes they are rather large. This time I had one about 1/4″ in diameter and really painful, so I gave this remedy a try. At first, after I applied the alum as per instructions, I thought I had made a big mistake because it burned like thunder for about 30 minutes, but then it subsided. The next morning the sore didn’t hurt. It was still there of course, but it didn’t hurt. Now, 24 hours later, it is half the size and healing quickly! Amazing!! Also, I’m changing tooth paste to a natural ingredients brand….
So I have one but I don’t have alum also, one of the causes is allergies. It I have none
I’ve suffered from canker sores for about 15 years, and I’ve tried many of the solutions mentioned in this thread, including alum. None of them really worked, and many literally left a bad taste in my mouth. On a recent visit to my dentist, I mentioned the canker sores, and he prescribed me with a steroid medication called Lidex that actually works. He explained to me that canker sores are caused by an immune reaction in some people that causes the body to fight a small irritation (caused by certain foods, toothpastes, injury, or just stress) that would otherwise go away on its own. The only way to get rid of them is to tell your immune system to calm down, and that’s what the steroid does. It’s been a huge relief. Talk to your doctor or dentist!
Cancer sores or just a result of acid in your system, usually coming from the stomach. Just use a antiacid when then sore first starts and it will not develope into a big sore, but if you let it go too long and it becomes a big sore just keep antiacid soon it every time it get sore. it will ease the pain and heal it faster. hold the antiacid on the sore as long as possible. Don’t use citrus antacids. If you get the herpes virus you get sores regardless but the antacids will calm the soreness by keeping the acid away from the healing. Believe me this always works I have done it ever since college and everyone I have told it works for. Don’t understand why the medical people don’t know this.
This is not a natural way of taking care of canker sores BUT I am in my late 60’s and I have tried everything. I started getting ulcers in my mouth when I was in grade school and have had them my entire life, had one in my mouth the whole time I was growing up. Then one day my
Dermatologists gave me Betamethasone Dipropionate gel 0.05%. If you use it the moment you feel the ulcer and put it on it goes away almost instantly. If the ulcer gets to far along it will take a little longer. This was a God thing for me and I thank God everyday for it. If all else fails you might want to try it.
So I just got the worse cold ever and the fact that I was blowing my nose, licking my lips, and the 15 degree weather outside in Colorado, did no help my already dried out lips. They were cracking, peeling, and bleeding. I tried everything! eos, softlips, carmex, blistex, Vaseline, rosebud salve, etc. nothing worked as well as the Somaluxe Lip Rescue – within an hour my lips looked and felt better, and within a few seconds of putting on instant relief.
If you use alum powder you don’t want to swallow it at all, put it on your sore then scrape it off within like 15 seconds. After that take some rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab and dab it on the sore and then dab it off with a paper towel . After that put mouth wash on the sore. Let set for a minute and then just go ahead and rice your whole mouth (if you want). I did this last night for the first time and my canker shrunk half it’s size.. doing it again today. And with my results it should be gone I’m a day (maybe more) depending on the size. During this process you do not want to swallow your spit until you have rinsed your mouth with water after using the alum, rubbing alcohol and mouth wash.. IT CAN HARM YOU IF YOU SWALLOW! Contact a poison control center it you do accidentally swallow.
Sorry for the misspelled words
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Best remedy for canker sores is baking soda.
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According to Mayo Clinic
“The precise cause of canker sores remains unclear, though researchers suspect that a combination of
factors contributes to outbreaks, even in the same person.
Possible triggers for canker sores include:
-A minor injury to your mouth from dental work, overzealous brushing, sports mishaps or an accidental
cheek bite
-Toothpastes and mouth rinses containing sodium lauryl sulfate
– Food sensitivities, particularly to chocolate, coffee, strawberries, eggs, nuts, cheese, and spicy or acidic
foods
-A diet lacking in vitamin B-12, zinc, folate (folic acid) or iron
-An allergic response to certain bacteria in your mouth
-Helicobacter pylori, the same bacteria that cause peptic ulcers
-Hormonal shifts during menstruation
-Emotional stress”
I have had canker sores my entire life (I am 61). I get small ones that combine to make huge sores. I will have 3-5 at once. I have changed over to toothpaste that does not contain SLS, but I still get them. Some remedies I have tried work for a short time–usually less than 15 minutes. Anything that forms a coating eventually falls off and the pain is back. Sometimes I can’t eat or drink anything because of the pain. I have tried e v e r y t h i n g.
Recently my dentist gave me a sample of Debacterol. It is what they use when working on a patient with CS. It works great!!! A permanent coating is formed and the pain gone. But I’m not sure this is available to the public.
I have used alum. It forms that coating that stays put and the pain is gone. It is very painful to put it on the sore. Once the initial pain is gone, the CS pain is gone.
I have also gotten from my doctor a prescription for a bottle of liquid Lidocaine. I will use this especially before eating. It eliminates the pain completely for the length the meal. So at least I can eat.
Hope that some of these ideas that helped me can help someone else!
Aluminum Sulfate is what most deodorants are made out of…salt has always worked for me…
Has anyone experienced swelling after applying?
For those who are nervous to use the Aluminum product, might I suggest plain old table salt. This is what I have always done. The pain is gone almost instantly and the sore is gone the next day.
Pour salt in the palm of one hand lick your index finger, coat the wet finger in salt and apply directly to the sore. Hold it there until the stinging passes…and your done!
I no longer get canker sores by simply avoiding walnuts. I uee pecans instead.
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Ok, YES, THEY ARE CONTAGIOUS. My children began to get them after sharing drinks with me, and my husband had never had one in his life until kissing me. Also, if one family member has one and shares a drink, the drink sharer cones down with one in two days. So be aware that yes, they actually are very contagious.
Well, canker sores can also be spread through genetics.
Thank you for this tip I will try it and I contracted hand foot mouth virus from my son and have about 15 large canker sores in my mouth. The pain is unbearable. They are on my tongue, gums and back of throat. How would I get the alum on the ones in the back of my throat?
I’d see a doctor Susan with that many canker sores, it could be something a bit more serious. All the best.
I am suffering really badly with mouth ulcers,not one but several all around my mouth. I am certainly going to try some of the remedies. the mouth washes prescribed by the hospital are not helping me.