Herbal Remedies for Mouth Ulcers

Posted by sanjay on Tuesday 28 Apr 2009

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Open sores in the mouth that cause sharp pain while eating are called mouth ulcers. They are usually white or yellow in color and can occur on the innermost walls of the cheeks, the tongue, the lips, the palate, or the bottom of the gum area. Mouth ulcers cause the greatest pain when they come into contact with hot, spicy or salty foods, and/or alcohol.

Causes
Some common causes of mouth ulcers are poor diet, digestive disorders such as constipation, indigestion, or heartburn, hormonal problems or fluctuations, emotional stress and worry, heredity, irritants, such as tobacco, alcohol, or chemicals, infections, herpes simplex viral infections, anemia, genetics, puberty, using tobacco products, and drinking alcoholic beverages.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of ulcers are sharp, burning pain when eating or drinking (especially when consuming hot, spicy or salty foods and alcohol), a bitter taste in the mouth, bad breath, numbness in the mouth, and an inability to taste food.

Home remedies for Mouth Ulcers
Grind catechu in water to make a paste and apply the paste directly to the ulcer.
Stir a ripe banana into curds made from cow’s milk. Eat this dessert after a meal; chew catechu and guava leaves mixed together. This mixture is great for healing mouth ulcers; pound jambula leaves into water to make a paste. Gargle the resulting water for pain relief.

Remove water from the adulsa for pain relief; grind lemon skin with white catechu into a paste and apply the paste directly to the ulcer; eat papaya for pain relief; eat yams for pain relief.

Diets
Consume green, leafy or raw vegetables. They help with ulcers, provide fiber, and help you avoid constipation; avoid fatty foods, hot or spicy foods, caffeine, tea, and alcohol.

Helpful Herbs
Licorice refreshes the mouth, turmeric cools the mouth, Indian gooseberry reduces pain and prevents constipation, henna cools the mouth, and fenugreek seeds, when gargled, provide pain relief.

Useful Tips
Stop drinking alcohol, stop using tobacco products, pay attention to your diet and eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water (8 to 10 glasses each day), reduce stress, and get plenty of rest.