Mouth ulcers are a huge pain. They remove the joy of eating – arguably one of life’s greatest pleasures – and take days to heal. When it comes to the health of your mouth, an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.
Keep in mind that skin doesn’t just break out for no reason. Your body is sending you a message. So before running to the doctor for a remedy, consider the cause.
Top causes of mouth ulcers, and how to fight them:
1. B12 deficiency
This deficiency is probably most common in pregnant women and children, since their bodies are accomplishing Herculean tasks and need a lot of nourishment. Because B12 is most abundant in seafood, cheese and meat, some vegans and vegetarians also need to take extra care.
Nutritional yeast is a great vegan source of B12, and tastes delicious on popcorn, pizza, pasta, and anything else that is traditionally eaten with cheese. Otherwise, take a supplement. If you’re currently fighting a mouth ulcer, you can open a capsule and empty it directly on the affected area.
Canker-Busting Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup low-sodium tamari
As much minced garlic as you like
Toss olive oil and garlic into a food processor and blend. Add remaining ingredients and blend again. Add salt and pepper as needed. This “cheesy” dressing is best enjoyed with chopped kale and fresh basil, but works great on almost any salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for decoration.
2. Some other nutritional deficiency
There isn’t much that a healthy diet can’t cure, including canker sores. If you’re getting recurring ulcers in the mouth, you body might be telling you it’s time to make a change.
Start adding in more plant-based foods wherever possible. If you like fruit smoothies, throw in spinach and kale or beef it up with some whole food supplements like maca powder, spirulina or chlorella.
Canker-Busting Smoothie:
3 tbsp hemp seeds
3/4 cup water
1/2 can coconut milk
Handful of soaked almonds
Handful of goji berries
Heaping tbsp of maca powder
Fruit of choice
- Throw almonds, hemp seeds and water into container and blend.
- Add goji berries let it sit for about 10 minutes while your gojis rehydrate. Skip this step at your peril – your smoothie will have many unpleasant chunks!
- Add all ingredients and blend. Use some frozen fruit if you like your smoothie cold.
- Add water until it reaches your desired thickness.
3. Poor immune system
A lazy immune system is often caused by poor eating habits. Start cultivating better eating habits. Spend some time outdoors. Make healthier choices wherever possible. Dose up on chicken noodle soup, loaded with veggies, onions and garlic.
4. Stress and injury
Braces or major dental work can cause stress in the mouth, which may lead to ulcers. But the day-to-day stresses of life can also cause canker sores to grow. Taking good care of yourself and devoting some time daily to a de-stressing ritual is helpful. Start a meditation practice. Enroll in a yoga class. Find a way to move out of all that anxiety.
Your body knows how to heal itself. It just needs the time and space. Try this simple heart-based breathing technique to lower stress and get back to your most efficient, intuitive self.
Step One: Sit comfortably and focus your attention on the heart area. Place your hand on your heart if you need to. Breath in for five counts, out for five counts, and repeat.
Step Two: Imagine that it is your heart doing the breathing. Imagine the breath coming in and out of your heart. Feel it filling up and emptying out.
5. Spicy or acidic foods
If your mouth is irritated, it may react with a canker sore. Think about what you were eating before the canker sore appeared. Citrus fruits are a common cause. Otherwise, have you switched toothpastes recently? Some people find their mouths react to particular ingredients in toothpaste. You can always make your own paste from baking soda, coconut oil and spearmint essential oil.
Canker-Busting Remineralizing Toothpaste:
1/4 cup calcium magnesium powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp diatomaceous earth
3 tsp xylitol powder
coconut oil
any essential oil
Calcium magnesium powder can be made from ground vitamins. Omit xylitol powder if you can’t find it, but it helps to remove the bitterness. Add coconut oil last, a few teaspoons at a time until your paste reaches the desired consistency.
If your canker sore isn’t going away after 14 days, it’s probably time to get some professional advice. If the affected area is bigger than a dime, or keeps reappearing in large clusters, this is another sign to seek help. It might be best to see a dentist, since they’ll be a specialist in the mouth area and can operate if necessary. Your regular GP is likely to prescribe antibiotics or steroids, which you may or may not be so keen on.
Get help when you need it, but don’t underestimate the power of home remedies or the importance of self-care. Don’t let one little mouth ulcer get your down. Heal yourself – you can do it!
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