Mouth Ulcer Remedies

Mouth ulcers may be tiny, but they can cause a really large amount of pain and discomfort. Eating, drinking, and sometimes even talking can become quite painful and difficult when you have a mouth ulcer. Such ulcers can develop for a number of reasons, but the most common is probably physical trauma. As a result of such trauma, the membrane in the mouth may tear, and subsequently bacteria may attack the site of the tear. Even without any infection, such a tear can be quite painful, and will take a few days to heal. In addition to this, ulcers may develop as a result of hormonal changes, other medical conditions, medications themselves, nutritional deficiencies, stress, cigarette smoking, and allergies. People who quit smoking also often develop ulcers in the period immediately after quitting. This is of course a temporary problem, and can be treated symptomatically. In most other cases however, it is important to identify the cause of the ulcers, at least if they occur frequently. It is not always possible to do this on your own, which is why a case of chronic ulcers should be discussed with a doctor. This will help in detecting nutritional deficiencies, hormonal problems, allergies and so on, after which you can opt for suitable home remedies if possible.

When you develop a mouth ulcer, there is not much you can do to speed up the healing process. You can however minimize the pain and discomfort caused by the ulcer. Proper oral hygiene will also reduce the chances, or at least the severity, of infection, thus ensuring that the recovery period is not unnecessarily stretched. Apart from regular oral hygiene practices such as brushing, you should rinse your mouth with salt water at least twice a day. Anti bacterial mouthwashes are also available over the counter and you can use one of these.

For pain relief, you can try applying a paste of baking soda and water on your ulcers. A small amount of this paste is enough, and can be applied twice a day. Similarly, a paste made by crushing basil leaves is thought to be useful in treating ulcers. You can also take a teaspoon of honey before going to bed at night, and as soon as you wake up in the morning. In the meanwhile, you should avoid consuming spicy foods, as well as foods and beverages that are very hot. If an ulcer lasts for longer than ten days, you should visit your doctor.