Mouth ulcers: Home remedies to get rid of mouth sores

From gond katira to coconut oil, here are some home remedies suggested by a nutritionist to say goodbye to painful mouth ulcers.

Many people complain of frequent mouth ulcers that simply refuse to go away. Mouth ulcer is basically a sore that develops in the soft tissue lining of your gums, tongue, inner cheeks or lips. Some of them can be extremely uncomfortable and painful. There might be some underlying health conditions behind those mouth sores from diabetes, celiac disease to inflammatory bowel disease. (See pics: 5 reasons behind frequent mouth sores)

Mouth ulcers could also develop due to sensitivity to certain foods or some nutritional deficiencies. The good thing is that they are not contagious and most of them heal on their own. Drinking a lot of water, good oral hygiene and rinsing mouth with warm saltwater can be useful. If your ulcers do not heal in two weeks or so, you must consult a doctor.

Nutritionist Manpreet Kalra in her recent Instagram post says there could be five reasons behind mouth ulcers:

- Sensitivity towards acidic foods

- Deficiency of vitamin B12 and B 6

- Diet lacking zinc and folate

- H pylori infections in your stomach

- Inflammation in the body

Kalra also recommends home remedies for mouth ulcers:

1. Gond katira: It helps relieve inflammation and pain of the ulcers.

2. Coconut oil: Oil pulling using coconut oil can reduce inflammation and help treat mouth ulcer.

3. Include foods rich in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 like organic dairy products, chickpeas, lentils, and nuts.

4. Add buttermilk or probiotic supplements to increase good bacteria in the gut.

5. Include foods rich in zinc and folate like cashew, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats and beetroot.

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