Skin, Hair & Eyes
Mouth Ulcers (Canker Sores)
Painful white sores inside the mouth or on the tongue.
⚡ Quick & easy version · 2 min
Salt Water Rinse
Only a few things you probably already have at home.
You need
- ◆Salt
- ◆Warm water
Steps
- Dissolve ½ tsp salt in a glass of warm water.
- Rinse your mouth for 30 sec, 3× daily; spit out.
Honeysuckle & Licorice Rinse Tea
You need
- ◆10 g honeysuckle
- ◆3 g licorice
- ◆400 ml water
How to make it
- 1
Simmer 10 min, cool.
- 2
Rinse your mouth 3× daily, then swallow or spit.
Honey dab
You need
- ◆Raw honey
How to make it
- 1
Dab a little honey on the ulcer 3–4× a day after meals.
Helpful herbs
The TCM view
Heart/Stomach fire (bright red, very painful) or Yin-deficient fire (recurring, mild). Cooling herbs like honeysuckle, mung bean and licorice are used.
Food tips
Eat / do
- Mung bean soup
- Soft cool foods
- Yoghurt
Avoid
- Spicy, salty, acidic and crunchy food
- Toothpaste with SLS
Sources
- Bensky et al. – Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica (Eastland Press)
- Scheid, Bensky et al. – Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies (Eastland Press)
- NCCIH – Herbs at a Glance (US National Institutes of Health)
- NCCIH – Traditional Chinese Medicine: What You Need To Know
- Memorial Sloan Kettering – About Herbs database (interactions & safety)
- Thuisarts.nl – Dutch GP advice (when to see a doctor)
⚠ Safety
- An ulcer lasting over 3 weeks needs a doctor or dentist.
- Not a replacement for medical care. Ask a doctor before use if pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication.