How to Get Rid of Canker Sores

Effectively treating canker sores can help reduce pain and speed the healing process.

There are various home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for canker sores, such as:

• Mouth rinses, like a saltwater or hydrogen peroxide rinse
• Natural products, such as honey
• OTC medicines, like Benadryl or milk of magnesia

When such remedies aren't enough, a prescription canker treatment like tetracycline may be needed.

This article will go over ways to get rid of canker sores. You'll also learn when to call your provider or dentist about a canker sore instead of trying to use home remedies.

What Are Canker Sores?

Canker sores are common ulcers in the mouth. They are usually small and shallow and form at the base of the gums. Cankers are also called aphthous ulcers.

Cankers usually start with a tingling sensation but can become painful. Some people may hesitate to talk, eat, or drink because of the discomfort of a canker sore.

What Causes Canker Sores?

The exact cause of canker sores is unknown, but there are some common triggers, including:

• Hurting your mouth or gums (e.g., having dental work, biting your cheek, or wearing dentures that don't fit well)
• Irritating foods (e.g., acidic fruits and vegetables; coffee, chocolate) or food allergies
• Vitamin deficiencies (e.g., vitamin B-12, folate, iron, and zinc)
• Certain medications (e.g., some arthritis drugs, chemotherapy)
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Certain medical conditions (e.g., Celiac disease, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Immunodeficiency disorders, Helicobacter pylori)
• Stress

How Long Do Canker Sores Last?

Canker sores usually heal on their own within a week or two.

Home remedies may reduce inflammation and bacteria, making the sores hurt less until they get better.

Many OTC pastes, gels, and liquid treatments can temporarily relieve pain and speed up the healing of cankers. The options work best if you apply them directly to each canker sore as soon as it appears.

Your pharmacist, provider, or dentist can advise which canker treatment is best for you.

Home Remedies for Cankers

Avoiding canker sore triggers is a good place to start. You can also try home remedies to reduce pain and help the sores heal.

Salt Water and Sodium Bicarbonate 

Saline (salt water) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) can help cankers heal faster by reducing acid levels in your mouth.

This creates an environment that makes it harder for bacteria to grow, which can help the healing process. Saltwater rinses can also promote healthy gums. 

How to Make a Salt Water Rinse

Never put salt directly on an ulcer. Instead, make a saltwater solution by mixing one teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water.

Swish it in your mouth or gargle it for about 30 seconds, then spit it out. It may sting at first.

How to Make a Baking Soda Paste

Mix a little baking soda with a small amount of water until it thickens. Put the paste on your canker sore(s). Repeat as often as needed while your mouth heals.

Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic that can help keep your sore free of bacteria, which will help it heal.

How to Make a Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse

Mix one part hydrogen peroxide with one part water. Dab the solution on your canker sore with a cotton swab.

Honey

Studies have found that honey has healing properties, including for canker sores.

How to Use Honey

Applying honey to the sore several times daily can help reduce pain and decrease ulcer size and redness.

You can also use honey as a canker sore remedy by mixing it with a soothing tea such as chamomile and drinking several cups daily. 

Studies have found that chamomile is helpful by itself for healing sores in the mouth.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which can help fight harmful bacteria in the body.

How to Rinse With Coconut Oil

Daily swishing with about a tablespoon of coconut oil—a practice known as oil pulling—may help reduce bacteria in the mouth, promote gum health, and aid the healing process. 

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Another antibacterial household staple, apple cider vinegar, can be used in a rinse to help heal your canker sores.

How to Make an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Mix a teaspoon of the vinegar into a cup of water. Swish the solution around your mouth for up to a minute. Then spit and rinse your mouth thoroughly.

Sage

While research has not shown sage to help canker sores specifically, it has been found effective as an anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore, using a mouthwash made with sage might help soothe a canker sore.

Sage mouth rinses are available OTC and can also be made at home.

How to Make a Sage Mouth Rinse

Take about six sage leaves or a tablespoon of dried sage and boil in water, then drain so the sage is removed. Let cool. Swish in your mouth for around a minute, then spit out.

Watermelon Frost

Watermelon frost is an anti-inflammatory Chinese medicine that can be purchased online. It is often sold in spray form and has been found to relieve pain from mouth ulcers.

One 2022 meta-analysis looked at the effectiveness of watermelon frost alone and in combination with three other medications. The researchers concluded that the most effective combination for treating canker sores was watermelon frost and erythromycin (an antibiotic).

OTC Canker Treatments

You can find several non-prescription treatments for canker sores in the dental care section of your supermarket or drugstore.

Oral Health Products

• Antiseptic mouth rinses contain ingredients that help heal mouth sores by reducing the bacteria in your mouth.
• Oral care products that numb painful areas in the mouth are useful while waiting for a canker to heal.
• Products marketed for mouth sores provide pain relief and support canker sore healing. These products come in gel, paste, and rinse forms.

Milk of Magnesia

Milk of magnesia is a liquid suspension of magnesium hydroxide. It is frequently used as an antacid and laxative to relieve constipation. Milk of magnesia can also help reduce canker sore pain by neutralizing acid and coating the ulcer.

The best way to put milk of magnesia into a canker is with a cotton swab. You can apply it three to four times a day. You may want to wear it after rinsing your mouth with hydrogen peroxide.

Benadryl

Liquid Benadryl (diphenhydramine), an allergy medication, can also help reduce inflammation and encourage the healing of a canker sore. Benadryl is very useful for mouth ulcers caused by food allergies or sensitivities.

You can combine liquid Benadryl with milk of magnesia to make an oral rinse. Mix one part of each and rinse with the solution for one minute, then spit it out. Do not swallow it.

Prescription Treatments for Cankers

Prescription medication is sometimes necessary to treat persistent or infected canker sores.

One treatment your dentist can prescribe is tetracycline suspension (liquid). You must hold the medicine in your mouth for two to five minutes before swallowing it.

Corticosteroids

Your dentist may prescribe corticosteroids like prednisone and dexamethasone for severe canker sores.

Dexamethasone suspension (liquid) can be used as an oral rinse that you hold in your mouth, then spit out.

When to See a Dentist for a Canker Sore

You might need something else if you have a canker sore that does not improve with home remedies or OTC treatment.

It's important to be seen by a healthcare provider who can prescribe the right treatment. Call your dentist if you have the following:

• A canker sore that lasts for 14 days or longer
• A sore that is getting worse
• A canker sore that grows in size or is unusually large
• Frequent outbreaks of canker sores
• Extreme pain that you cannot control
• Sores on your lips
• Fever
  

Summary

You can reduce canker sore pain and support healing with some OTC and at-home remedies like salt water rinses, honey, and oral health products.

If you have canker sores that hurt or return, it's time to see a healthcare provider. They can find out why you have cankers and prescribe the best treatment.