For some, a canker sore may be a bothersome annoyance, but for others, it can be downright painful to live with. The pain of a canker sore can affect your ability to speak clearly, to eat and drink comfortably and more. With this in mind, it makes sense that you would look for home remedies for canker sores. The good news is that there are a couple of excellent canker sores home remedies that you can use to alleviate pain temporarily or to shorten the life of the canker sore. You may consider trying all of these home remedies to find the one that works best for you.
Try our natural home remedies for canker sores to get fast relief!
1. Cayenne Pepper
When looking for home remedies for canker sores, you may not need to look beyond your spice rack for the remedy you need. Cayenne pepper has excellent properties that could alleviate your pain temporarily. Cayenne pepper contains an ingredient known as capsaicin, and this ingredient actively numbs the skin when the pepper is applied to it. It can irritate some people’s skin, so use it sparingly at first to determine your reaction to it.
Instructions
- Dab a small amount of cayenne pepper onto the tip of your finger.
- Apply this directly to your canker sore. The numbing sensation should be felt almost immediately.
2. Barber’s Pencil
A styptic pencil, also known as a barber’s pencil, is designed to stop the flow of blood when a barber nicks someone he has been shaving. This pencil can provide you with relief as well. This is one of the easier home remedies for canker sores that you can use.
Instructions
- Rub the tip of the styptic pencil over the canker sore. This will numb the nerve endings that are so irritated in the canker sore.
- Results in immediate, but temporary, relief from the pain.
3. Aloe Rinse
You can easily make a homemade concoction that you can rinse your mouth out with for great numbing effects. This concoction uses aloe and water. However, the aloe is gentle enough to use on your skin without diluting it as well, so you may also consider just dabbing a little aloe juice directly onto your canker sore.
Instructions
- Simply add equal parts of aloe and water together to create a liquid rinse that has exceptional soothing qualities.
- Rinse your mouth with this concoction and then spit it out.
- Repeat every day until the canker sores start to disappear.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse
If you have hydrogen peroxide and common household ingredient that are commonly found in most pantries, you may be able to quickly make this home remedy for canker sores. It is worth noting that hydrogen peroxide is also a great home remedy for sore throat, along with other illnesses.
Instructions
- Mix together two parts hydrogen peroxide, one part table salt and one part baking soda.
- Rinse your mouth with the resulting liquid solution.
- Note that it initially may burn, but the end result is that your mouth will feel more numb and comfortable.
- Dilute it with two parts water if you feel that it is too thick to use as a rinse.
5. Salt
If you are feeling brave, you can apply salt to the wound for healing benefits. This can result in intense burning initially, but it will provide relief as well. When it comes to home remedies for canker sores, applying salt to the sore area is one of the most common solutions available. An alternative to this is to apply baking soda to the wound. Both of these options will decrease redness and irritation and can result in a soothing sensation after the initial burn has subsided.
Instructions
- Dab a small amount of salt onto the tip of your finger.
- Place your salted finger onto the canker sore, and allow the salt to penetrate into the wound.
- As an alternative, use baking soda rather than salt.
6. Sage Rinse
Another great herb to use when you dealing with a painful canker sore is sage, and this herb can be used to make a tasty rinse. When trying to find canker sores home remedies to use, you may simply need to pull sage out of the herb section in your pantry. This is an herb that is commonly used on turkeys at Thanksgiving, but it does have wonderful healing qualities as well.
Instructions
- Mix one teaspoon of sage with a pint of water.
- Boil this concoction for about 15 minutes.
- Use it a a rinse, gargling and swishing for about 15 seconds. You can save the rest of the concoction to use again later.
- Repeat the rinse process three times a day until your canker sore is gone.
- As an alternative to this, you can run sage leaves onto your canker sore to enjoy the same benefits.
7. Ice
You may apply ice to many injured areas over the course of your life, but you may not think about using ice to numb your canker sore. When you are in a pinch and do not have other ingredients nearby to make a rub or rinse with, ice is an excellent fallback option. Ice helps clean the affected area, and also numb the area and decrease swelling and irritation.
Instructions
- Simply apply an ice cube to the affected area for as long as you can tolerate the cold.
- Rinse your mouth with ice cold water, as an alternative to this remedy.
- Do this twice a day until you feel relief.
8. Aspirin Paste
If you have aspirin in your medicine cabinet, you may be able to easily create an effective aspirin paste to numb the affected area. Aspirin is an effective pain reliever when swallowed, and it also can have benefits to those suffering from a canker sore when it is applied topically.
Instructions
- Crush two aspirin tablets using a spoon and a cabinet. Ensure that all of the larger pieces have been crushed to a fine powder.
- Do not use coated aspirin! This remedy is effective when natural aspirin or baby aspirin is used.
- Apply the powder directly to the canker sore, or you can make a paste.
- Make the paste by mixing the powder with a small amount of water until a thick paste is formed. The paste can then be rubbed onto the wound.
9. Minty Numbing Spray
If you like the taste of peppermint, you may love this easy-to-make home remedy. You can easily store this home remedy in a small spray bottle you purchase at your local store, and you can enjoy using it at any location until the sore is gone. This mixture can ease the burning feeling that you feel on your raw nerve endings, and it can also decrease the amount of swelling around the canker sore.
Instructions
- Purchase essential oils of peppermint, eucalyptus and grape seed or olive oil.
- Mix two tablespoons of either olive oil or grape seed oil with 10 drops of peppermint oil and eight drops of eucalyptus oil.
- Put the mixture into a small mister or sprayer bottle. Then, spray the mixture directly onto the affected area of your mouth.
10. Chamomile Tea
If you like chamomile tea, this is one of the home remedies for canker sores that you will love. Chamomile has natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and this means that it can help to ease the pain that you are feeling and may also speed up the healing process.
Instructions
- Simply steep your chamomile tea bag in water as if you were making a cup of tea.
- Apply the moist tea bag directly on your sore.
- Wait 2-3 minutes and you will notice fast relief without any sting.
11. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has exceptional healing properties, and it is an anti-inflammatory, an antiseptic and an antimicrobial agent. There are several different ways that you can use coconut oil as a home remedy. When reviewing home remedies for canker sores, this is a highly effective option.
Instructions
- Dab a small amount of coconut oil onto your fingertip or a q-tip.
- Apply it directly to the sore.
You can also mix a small amount of bees wax in with the coconut oil to create a paste. This paste can then stick onto the canker sore for long-lasting results.
As you can see, there are many home remedies for canker sores that you can use. You may want to try out several to find the one that works best for you. Each of these options has different benefits that you can enjoy, so you may also want to mix and match different treatments together to take advantage of a combination of benefits that they provide. Canker sores generally only last for a few days, but the pain can be intense during this time. Put these ideas to use for you to find the pain relief that you need.
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