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You’ve had them before, those nasty little gray or while round sores inside your mouth on the tongue, the roof of your mouth or inside your cheeks. They hurt and make you feel miserable.

It’s frustrating that there seems to be no consensus on what causes them, or if they can be triggered by bacterial or viral infections, allergic reactions to food, a vitamin deficiency, or if they are contagious.

It appears the answer is this - the cause is different from person to person. To find an effective treatment, it’s important to be mindful when you get a canker sore of what food you ate, if something painful occurred in the mouth, such as dental work or biting the inside of your cheek, if you are under a lot of emotional stress, or not getting adequate sleep.

VIRAL CLUES. If your canker sores occur after a dental procedure or other painful experience in the mouth area, or when you are over-tired, experiencing stress or receiving chemo therapy or radiation treatments, consider that the same virus that causes a cold sore, herpes simplex I, may be the culprit.

Items that Contain Anti-viral Properties:

Propolis - Produced by bees, propolis is used as a construction material in bee hives, comprised of a complex of chemicals (especially flavonoids), which play a role as an antiviral agent. Some individuals have allergic reactions to Propolis, and for them, this would not be a good choice.

Golden Seal Mouth Wash - Golden Seal is an herb. Use it to make a mouth wash by mixing a quarter teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of golden seal powder (contents of one capsule) into a cup of warm water. Be aware that the golden seal powder will not dissolve completely but the mixture will still work fine. Rinse your mouth with the mouth wash at least three times a day.

Canker Sores Begone - You might want to try this superb, topical herbal product in a pocket-size bottle that you can take with you throughout the day. Feedback from clients, many of my readers, and that of my own personal experience is that it does work as promised.

ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO CERTAIN ACIDIC FOODS? Acidic food is a common trigger for many people. You are probably aware that citrus fruit and tomatoes are acidic, but so are grapes, chocolate, salty or spicey foods, sugar, certain nuts, strawberries, and coffee. If this seems to apply more than a virus, try one the following suggestions:

Eliminate the suspected foods for a few weeks, and then reintroduce them one at a time to see which one triggers a canker. This may take a little self-discipline, but it’s well worth the experiment.

If you prefer an approach that doesn’t involve food elimination, try nutritional supplementation. On a daily basis, take 1,000-1,200 milligrams of buffered vitamin C. This will help reduce the level of histamines in your body. You can enhance the effectiveness of the vitamin C by taking 1,000 milligrams of quercetin which by inhibiting histamine release, will reduce inflammation, allowing for a quicker healing of an existing canker sore.

A THIAMIN DEFICIENCY? Research shows that a deficiency of thiamin can lead to recurrent mouth ulcers. Take 100 milligrams of thiamin daily as a preventative.

A High-Potency Multivitamin - If purchased at a health food store, it should give you the nutrients necessary to prevent canker sores. Take 800 micrograms of folic acid, 500-1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12, 10 milligrams of iron, and 20 milligrams of zinc. If your multivitamin doesn’t include all you need, add what’s needed to make up the difference.

If you don’t find that the causes above apply to your situation, don’t despair. Here are two remedies that just may provide the relief you’re looking for:

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) - This is a form of the herb known as licorice. It has anti-inflammatory properties, speeds the healing process, and soothes the discomfort of canker sores. Take two 200-milligram tablets 20 minutes before meals, or chew one or two tablets two or three times a day. Use until the sore heals.

Tea Bag - You may have heard this before, but if you haven’t tried it, you should. Tea contains the ingredient Tannin, which may relieve the pain almost instantly. Hold a used tea bag against the sore for a few minutes. Repeat a few times daily until healed.

Be persistant and patient as you experiment to find the best solution for your canker sore eruptions. It will be an effort that pays off for the rest of your life.

Tags: Dental and Mouth Disorders