Supplements For Canker Sore
Tao News Letter
Canker sores are small ulcers that appear in the lining of the mouth, most often on the inside of the lips, cheeks, and soft palate. They are also known as ‘Aphthous Ulcer’ and appear to be white or yellow ulcer surrounded by a bright red area. They are usually small, painful, sensitive and annoying. The size of sores is usually 1 to 2 mm wide. Approximately 20% of the population in the U.S. is believed to be affected with recurring canker sores. They can occur at any age and frequency is more seen in women. Most of the time they don’t require treatment whereby pain and inflammation get lower within a week or three.
Causes and Symptoms:
The canker sores may be related to a localized immune reaction, however exact cause is uncertain. Food allergies (eg.: acidic food like pineapple), stress, and hormones are the possible causes for canker sores. Bacterial Infections, trauma, heredity, deficiency of vitamin B12, iron, or folic acid are other likely factors. Similarly some of the disease condition may provoke occurrence of canker sore like in H.pylori infections, Crohn’s disease, Behcet disease, AIDs, etc. Researches have shown that female sex hormones play an apparent role in causing canker sores. Symptoms are mainly associated with pain. Others include tingling or mild painful itching sensation to the affected area, redness, swelling, whitish-grayish coloration of sores, and inflammation. Minor canker sores are oval shaped. Canker sores commonly come back. Occasionally a person may experience mild fever, swollen lymph nodes and lethargy.
Treatment:
Most of the time treatment is not necessary as canker sores heal by themselves. If one experiences a greater inflammation, persistent pain and discomfort; topical anesthetics, pain relievers, mouth wash or corticosteroid ointment can expedite healing. Alternative therapies are found to be effective and helpful in the canker sore treatment. They aim to heal and prevent their occurrence. There are various herbal remedies available for the treatment of canker sores. They include; calendula (calendula officinalis), myrhh (commiphora molmol), goldeneal (hydrastis Canadensis), lomatium (lomatium dissectum), burdock (arctium lappa), Chinese rhubarb (rheum palmatum), liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) etc. An aloe juice and grapefruit seed extract as a mouth wash are helpful. Dietary changes/modification and nutritional supplements are another important alternative way to treat and prevent canker sores. Foods containing acidophilus, such as yogurt, buttermilk is beneficial to health. There are various types of nutritional supplements available in the market nowadays, some of which include as followings:
They help to prevent the sores and promote healing. Daily consumption of lactobacillus acidophilus (Acidophilus supplement) is believed to be helpful in preventing outbreaks of the canker sores. Eating a mineral rich diet and focusing on the foods which make our body more alkaline (eg.:green vegetables) are beneficial. Traditional Chinese medicines are popular among the alternative therapies for the treatment and prevention of canker sores.
References:
- http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz.htm
- http://www.emedicinehealth.com/canker_sores/article_em.htm
- Das SK, Gulati AK, Singh VP. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice in aphthous ulcers. J Assoc Physicians India 1989.
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/canker-sore
- http://www.health911.com/remedies.htm
- http://www.healingdaily.com
- http://altmedicine.about.com
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