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What are the Essential Oils for Mouth Ulcers: How to Use Them

If you are looking to treat a mouth ulcer, then you have come to the right place. This article dives deep into what mouth ulcer is all about and the essential oils that are used in treating them.

What are the Essential Oils for Mouth Ulcers: How to Use Them

Mouth ulcers are small, shallow lesions that develop gradually on the soft tissues in your mouth. Often it can be found at the base of your gums, on the cheeks, or maybe on your tongue.

Although they’re not found on the lips, they can be uncomfortable and very painful. People who suffer from recurring canker sores experience difficulties in drinking, eating, and even talking.

Hence, many are looking for ways to ease the pain and irritation since it’s so painful.

What are Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers or aphthous ulcers are tiny open sores which develop in the mouth, on the tongue, the roof of the mouth, on the mucus membrane inside the lips and cheeks, and in the grooves between gums and cheeks.

It starts as a burning and tingling sensation and a slight swelling of the site. The center of each ulcer is white, surrounded by an inflamed red border, which is tender to the touch. Ulcers can last from two days to three weeks; they heal spontaneously leaving no scar.

Mouth ulcers could be caused by a mild virus infection, but some research shows ulcers are brought on by a state of anxiety or emotional stress.

While having mouth ulcers, avoid acid or spicy foods that can cause more pain, hard foods, coffee, smoking and alcohol.

A cotton bud dipped in Tea Tree oil can be applied neat to the ulcer for immediate relief.

Effective Treatments Using Essential Oils

1. Tea tree Essential Oil

Tea tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil is a disinfecting essential oil which is effective against angina, bronchitis, boils, rhinitis and even gingivitis.  It can handle anything that your mouth throws at it!

Dilute a drop of tea tree oil with two drops of hazelnut oil.  Apply this mixture directly onto the affected area 3 to 4 times per day until your mouth ulcer is no more than a bad memory.

2. Clove Essential Oil

What are the Essential Oils for Mouth Ulcers: How to Use Them

Resorting to sesame oil is a sensible choice as it is excellent for irritated gums and mouth ulcers.  While cloves are often thought of a cure for toothache, they are also good for mouth ulcers.

The combination of the two together is therefore very effective.  Dilute a drop of this essential oil into 5 drops of sesame vegetable oil.  Apply the mixture onto the mouth ulcer until it has disappeared.

3. Bay Leave Essential Oil

What are the Essential Oils for Mouth Ulcers: How to Use Them

Mix a few drops with a vegetable oil and test the mixture on a fold of your arm skin to see if you are allergic or not.  You can then use this mixture directly onto the mouth ulcer with a cotton bud and then leave the bud on the affected area for a few minutes.

Repeat this procedure three times per day but don’t use the treatment for more than 2 days.  This is a good option to speed up the healing process and to soothe any pain.

Other Remedies for Mouth Ulcers

There are a number of home remedies that can shorten the life span of mouth ulcers and reduce the intensity of the pain they cause.

Sage Rinse

Sage belongs to the mint family, and it has cooling and healing properties that can bring relief and shorten the life of the canker sore. To make a sage rinse, boil four ounces of water, and toss in two teaspoons of dried sage.

Let it steep for 10 minutes, then let it cool. Take a swig, and swish it around in your mouth for a full minute. Spit it out, and rinse with cold water. Repeat every couple of hours.

Live-Culture Yogurt Snack

Live-culture yogurt is great for promoting good gut bacteria, but it may also help you rebalance the bacteria in your mouth to speed up the healing of a canker sore.

It’s worth a shot to consume a couple of servings of yogurt a day. Just make sure the yogurt you buy contains live cultures, since that’s what makes the magic happen.

Coconut Oil Salve

Coconut oil is a delicious, miraculous substance that has serious anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that can help you get rid of your canker sore in no time. Dab a generous slathering of coconut oil on the sore as needed for relief.

Whip out this useful mixture if you often get ulcers

This mixture of essential oils is the most complete and effective.  If the other recipes don’t seem to be doing anything for you then you should try this one!

In a glass bottle (tinted if possible), mix 30 drops of tea tree essential oil, 30 drops of bay leave essential oil, 15 drops of clove essential oil and 10 ml of olive oil or sunflower oil.

Apply two drops of this mixture no more than five times per day.  Space out applications so that the mouth ulcer can absorb the oils.  Don’t use the treatment for more than 3 days.

Read Also: What is Beard Oil: The Possible Disadvantages of Beard Oil

Dietary & Lifestyle Tips for Mouth Ulcers

Aromatherapy is not a magic panacea, and should always be used in conjunction with other therapies and/or lifestyle changes. In addition to using the above mouthwash and spot treating, consider the following for keeping mouth ulcers at bay:

Notice what you eat and if certain foods are triggering your mouth ulcers

One common culprit is high-acid foods (tomato sauce, coffee, alcohol). Acidic fruits like oranges, pineapple, and grapefruit can also trigger canker sores. Salty foods might be the issue.

As a kid, I would frequently get a mouth ulcer after eating a ton of salty pretzels. And if you have specific food sensitivities or allergies, avoiding those foods may help prevent canker sores.

Reduce stress

This could be a bullet point related to just about any ailment—but it’s important! Emotional stress breeds physiological changes. Notice if you experience mouth ulcers during periods of increased stress. You may want to look into meditation and other stress-management practices.

Oral hygiene/mouth protection 

If you have braces, the irritation from them could be triggering your mouth ulcers. Ask your dentist about waxes to cover sharp edges. On the hygiene side, regular brushing (with a soft brush) and flossing can help keep your mouth clear of foods that might trigger an outbreak.

Also, avoid toothpastes and mouth rinses that contain sodium lauryl sulfate

FAQs

1. How long do Canker Sores last?

People usually suffer two to six ulcers per episode which can last for weeks or months, depending on the category.

2. Are Canker Sores Similar to Cold Sores?

Unlike cold sores, caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 1, which are contagious, canker sores are benign and non-contagious. Canker sores always form inside the mouth, while cold sores tend to appear on or around the lips and occasionally affect the tongue, gums and the hard and soft palate.

Final Word

When having mouth ulcers, a natural resource is using oil-based products. Most the mouth ulcers disappear on their own in a week or two even without applying for any medicine or even doing any natural remedy.

But better to treat mouth ulcers while they are small and could easily be healed. In this way, you avoid big and painful mouth ulcers. There are also canker sores that do not heal.  Anyhow, if this happens to you, do not hesitate to consult your doctor or dentist immediately.

We hope this article has been helpful to you. Please share it with anyone who you think will appreciate the information!

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