What is a canker sore? A small, painful, persistent ulcer that develops inside the mouth.
Also known as aphthous stomatitis or aphthous ulcers, canker sores most often form on the tongue, soft palate, inside the cheek, lips, or at the base of the gums.
And unlike cold sores, they are not contagious.
What are the causes? There is not a single, explicit cause of canker sores despite the fact that they're quite common.
However, injury to the inside of the mouth, emotional stress, and genetics play a part in increasing the risk of developing the condition.
Immunological disorders, allergies, and hormonal imbalances also make certain individuals more likely to come down with a canker sore.
What are the symptoms? The most obvious symptom is the development of a painful, white or yellow ulceration inside the mouth.
Patients may also experience a tingling or burning sensation in the affected area, and have difficulty eating, especially salty, spicy or acidic foods.
In rare cases, fever and swollen lymph nodes can accompany the condition as well.
Are there natural remedies? Yes, in addition to avoiding further aggravation of the condition, the following natural cures have proven effective against canker sores.
Soak a cotton swab in APPLE CIDER VINEGAR and dab on the ulcerated area several times each day.
Or, rinse the mouth with apple cider vinegar to experience the same benefit.
ALOE VERA juice, used as a mouthwash several times a day, also helps to relieve the pain of canker sore and hasten the healing process.
BAKING SODA, applied as a paste, kills mouth bacteria promoting faster healing.
And RAW ONION, rubbed directly onto the ulcer, is among the most common traditional home remedies.
Simply hold a chunk of raw onion against the sore for a few minutes to speed recovery.