Mouth ulcers are small, round or oval-shaped, shallow sores that appear in the mouth. They can range in diameter from 2-10mm. Mouth ulcers commonly occur on the tongue, gums, inner cheeks, lips, and throat, and can cause inflammation and ulcers when they burst.
Mouth ulcers can occur due to internal body heat, deficiency of vitamin C and dietary fiber, and a lack of consumption of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, mouth ulcers can also be caused by oral mucosal injuries, bacteria living in dental plaque, stress, fluid imbalances, or trauma leading to infection.
Ancient remedies have discovered the effectiveness of using common foods to treat mouth ulcers, which are still applied today.
Here are some traditional methods to treat mouth ulcers:
Treating mouth ulcers with tomatoes
In traditional medicine, tomatoes have cooling properties, with a slightly sour and sweet taste, which help reduce heat and detoxify the body. When having mouth ulcers, it means that your body is internally heated. Therefore, you can eat raw tomatoes to reduce internal heat and detoxify the body to treat mouth ulcers.
Alternatively, if you do not like eating raw tomatoes, you can drink tomato juice or make tomato smoothies as a replacement for refreshing beverages. Both methods provide equivalent results in treating mouth ulcers.
Treating mouth ulcers with sour plum water
Sour plum water is well-known for its effective treatment of mouth ulcers. When experiencing mouth ulcers, all you need to do is mash 2-3 fresh sour plums, submerge them in water, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. After turning off the heat, let the water cool down, and then sip and swallow small amounts of water continuously. Repeat this process multiple times a day until the ulcers completely disappear.
It is recommended to choose more sour plums for treating mouth ulcers because the sourness of plums helps dissolve the pus in the ulcers and reduce body heat.
Treating mouth ulcers with watermelon rind
Watermelon rind, which seems like waste, actually has great healing effects. Specifically, according to traditional medicine, watermelon rind has cooling properties, and it is often used to treat mouth ulcers and internal body heat.
To treat mouth ulcers with watermelon rind, take 50g of clean watermelon rind, cut it into thin strips, and fry them on high heat until golden. After cooling, grind the fried rind into powder.
Combine the watermelon rind powder with a little honey, and apply the mixture to the ulcerated spots. Apply twice a day, continuously, until the mouth ulcers completely disappear.
Treating mouth ulcers with Centella asiatica leaves
Centella asiatica leaves are also known for their effectiveness in treating mouth ulcers. The simple method is to rinse the leaves, and then chew them directly 3-5 times a day. Continuous use of Centella asiatica leaves will help treat and eliminate mouth ulcers.
Treating mouth ulcers with garlic leaves
Similar to sour plums, garlic leaves are also known for their efficacy in treating mouth ulcers. Garlic leaves contain components that have similar effects to Garlic bulbs, which are cooling, blood purifying, diuretic, and detoxifying.
To treat mouth ulcers with garlic leaves, simply take a handful of clean garlic leaves, crush them, and put them in a blender to make a puree. Strain and collect the juice, mix with a little honey.
After having the mixture of garlic leaf juice and honey, apply it to the swollen, painful ulcers. Apply twice or three times a day, until the ulcers completely disappear, then stop.
– Salt water: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day. This helps to clean the ulcers and reduce inflammation.
– Coconut oil: Melt some coconut oil in your mouth and swish it around for a few minutes before spitting it out. The oil has healing properties and can help soothe the ulcers.
– Honey: Apply raw, organic honey directly to the ulcers with a clean finger or cotton swab. Honey has natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
– Aloe vera: Use fresh aloe vera gel, applied directly to the ulcers, to speed up healing and reduce pain.
– Vitamin C: Increase your intake of vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, and bell peppers. Vitamin C helps boost your immune system and aids in tissue repair.