Canker sores

Canker sores

Symptom Definition

Canker sores are superficial, whitish ulcers that appear singly or in small groups on the mucous membranes of the mouth, cheeks or tongue. They range in size from 1 mm to 1 cm and are often painful, recurrent and bothersome, making it difficult to eat and speak.


Causes to be evaluated

The main causes:

  • Stress
  • Tiredness
  • Eating certain foods: nuts, peanuts, Swiss cheese, strawberries, tomatoes, etc.
  • Medication: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta-blockers, bisphosphonates, anti-cancer drugs, long-term corticosteroid treatment 
  • Hormonal conditions: menstruation  or pregnancy

Factors that favour recurrent aphthosis:

  • Gastrointestinal diseases: celiac disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
  • Nutritional deficiencies: iron, folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, ...
  • Immunological disorders: acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, neutropenia ...

Naturopathic Protocol

There are a number of things you can do to help prevent canker sores from getting worse:

  • Remember to write down what you ate just before the canker sores occurred and avoid or eliminate certain foods.
  • Prefer cold foods to hot foods, which increase inflammation and pain
  • Avoid talking while eating to avoid biting your lip or the inside of your mouth and creating lesions that promote the appearance of canker sores.
  • Maintain good oral hygiene
  • Use a soft toothbrush
  • Use a toothpaste that does not contain lauryl sulphate, a substance that irritates the mucous membranes.
  • Avoid daily mouthwashes, especially those containing alcohol
  • Have a dental check-up
  • Consult a dentist if you have a dental problem
  • Avoid stress and overwork

🍽️ Nutrition

48-hour water fast for adults and 24-hour monodiet for children.

  • Warm lemon juice (with a little honey for children)
  • Thyme and Marjoram herbal teas

What foods can be triggers and therefore should be avoided to prevent thrush?

These are in particular the aphthogenic nutrients, which include

  • Nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc.
  • Chocolate, spices and spicy foods
  • Certain fruits and their skins: strawberries, pineapple, but also a good portion of citrus fruits.
  • Shellfish
  • Tomatoes
  • Certain hard cheeses, including Gruyère

There are "elements" that are not always visible that are responsible for canker sores:

  • Certain preservatives: E210 - benzoic acid and E200 - ascorbic acid, found in certain foods or industrial preparations.
  • Gluten, which is mainly found in wheat and can promote the development of thrush. It should be noted that people who are allergic to gluten and suffer from coeliac disease are often the victims of recurrent canker sores.
  • Alcohol abuse and smoking can trigger and aggravate these ulcers.

Certain deficiencies, especially nutritional deficiencies, can cause thrush:

  • B group vitamins, especially B1, B2, B6 and B12: remember to eat fruit and vegetables, pulses, brewer's yeast, fish, poultry, veal liver, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, lentils, avocado, bananas and eggs.
  • An Iron and folic acid deficiency, which can be remedied by eating green vegetables (especially those with dark leaves): spinach, broccoli, asparagus, but also fruit (orange), rice, brewer's yeast and beef liver.
  • Canker sores can also occur after intense fatigue or psychological stress, factors that mainly affect your immune system. A contribution of magnesium, together with vitamins B6 and B12, can be a valuable help. Not forgetting the essential vitamin C, which, together with vitamin E, is responsible for revitalising this failing system. All citrus fruits, berries, but also certain vegetables such as peppers and fresh herbs are rich in vitamin C. As for vitamin E, which is essential for recycling vitamin C, it is found in particular in vegetable oils such as wheat germ, safflower, rapeseed, olive, avocado, asparagus, spinach and egg yolk.
  • Canker sores can also occur when the body is over-acidic, for example when there is a build-up of acid in the oesophagus. It is therefore important to maintain a good acid-base balance by eating a diet that is as alkaline as possible: preferably eating vegetables and fruit that are low in acid, such as bananas, apples, pears and lemons.
  • In the case of nervous fatigue, omega-3 fatty acids rich in EPA/DHA significantly strengthen the nervous system and, in turn, the immune system.

🌿 Phytotherapy

Marsh mallow

  • Chew pieces of mallow. On contact with saliva, the root melts and a gel comes out.
  • Swipe the tongue dipped in this "syrup" over the canker sores to relieve the pain.

Licorice

  • Chewing liquorice gum 3 or 4 times a day forms a protective film over the canker sores, isolating them from irritating substances.
  • They help speed up healing.

Pure 50% alcohol extract of Propolis

  • 5 drops per day, diluted or straight with a meal.

Purple coneflower mother tincture

  • 10 to 20 drops in a glass of water with each meal.
  • Duration: 7 days.

Mouthwashes

  • Soak a handful of Sage flowers and leaves in 1 litre of boiling water for 10 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and use as a mouthwash.

Grapefruit seed extract

  • This is an effective and mild antibacterial that can be used on children.
  • Apply a few drops to the aphtha several times a day.

🌳 Gemmotherapy

Walnut

  • Drink 5 drops in half a glass of mineral water before each meal.
  • Duration: 3 weeks

🌺 Aromatherapy

Apply 1 to 2 drops of Bay Laurel or Tea Tree essential oil:

  • 3 to 4 times a day
  • Duration: 3 days

💊 Micronutrition

Probiotics

  • 1 capsule per day 
  • Duration: 1 month
    • Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP 1
    • Lactobacillus rhamnosus LB21
    • Bacillus coagulans BC 4
    • Marxianus fragilisB0399
    • Lactobacillus reuteri

Chlorophyll magnesia

  • 2 capsules a night
  • Duration: 1 month

🧘‍♂️ Manual Techniques

🌼 Homeopathy

Three remedies are recommended for the treatment of mouth ulcers:

  • Borax 9 CH or Mercurius corrosivus 7 CH should be taken systematically.
  • Kalium bichromicum 9 CH is a good remedy if the canker sores are rounded and have a cut edge.
  • Sulfuricum acidum 5 CH is given when the burning sensation is relieved by drinking warm liquid.
  • These remedies are to be taken from the first symptoms, the usual dosage being 5 granules every 2 hours, then 2 times a day when the symptoms subside.

They can be combined with other remedies depending on the symptoms: