Suffering from mouth ulcers

¦ I am 34 years of age and have suffered from severe mouth ulcers for a number of years.

I have attended many doctors and health shops but still have found no cure for my problem. Could you recommend anything natural that would get rid of my problem?

>> While mouth ulcers, also known as canker sores, are very common this doesn’t make them any less painful or annoying to deal with. Stress plays a significant role in cases where recurrent mouth ulcers are an issue, although there can be other contributing factors.

We know that viruses or bacteria aren’t to blame, thanks to extensive scientific research, however, they may appear as a side effect of autoimmune disorders. It is worth checking with your GP to rule this out.

Since you have already tried health shop remedies, chances are you have come across lysine as a potential natural fix. This supplement works by strengthening the immune system and supporting the healthy growth and repair of soft tissue.

The downside is that it doesn’t work for everyone. If you have not yet tried lysine, then invest in a bottle of Solgar’s L-Lysine 1000mg and take 3 tablets daily until the ulcers have cleared, following up with a single tablet each day for prevention.

Another good first response when dealing with stubborn mouth ulcers is switching toothpastes. According to research, SLS-free (sodium lauryl or laureth sulphate) toothpaste has provided relief for 80% of sufferers within 3 months of changing brands.

I like tooth soap (www.toothsoap.com) from the US, however I understand that this isn’t for everybody. Most health stores have a good range of toothpastes without SLS.

A somewhat more unusual combination to treat these sores is a mixture of dragon’s blood, frankincense, and myrrh. While this sounds more like a witches brew, it is simply the resins of three plants.

Dragon’s blood is actually a bright red resin secreted from the fruit and stems of a plant (daemonorops draco), a wound healing remedy — usually bought as a powder; you can use essential oils for the frankincense and myrrh. Apply directly to the ulcers with a cotton tip.

If you are to choose just one of these three, then myrrh would be the one to pick. Using a tincture of myrrh, apply neat to the ulcer, or dilute 4ml in 100ml of warm water and use as a mouthwash 2-3 times daily.

While these last few remedies are all quite topical in nature, dietary changes can also help. Red raspberry leaf, (rubus idaeus), is highly nutritious, hence the recommended use during the last six weeks of pregnancy.

The leaves are high in calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and with vitamins A, C, and E. Drinking 2-3 cups of this tea daily will treat the ulcers as it makes contact with them, and also by providing valuable and highly bioavailable nutrients.

Use 1 teaspoon of dried herb per cup of near-boiling water, and steep for 3-5 minutes. Many herbalists also use a slightly stronger brew of raspberry leaf tea topically for skin lesions and ulcerations.

The other diet recommendation is to increase your intake of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is linked to mouth ulcers that keep coming back.

Foods high in magnesium include fish, artichokes, banana, figs, grains, prunes, dairy products, nuts, beans, beet greens, broccoli, legumes, parsnip, pumpkin, spinach, fermented soy products, squash, courgette, tomatoes, potatoes.

Greens, grains, nuts and seeds are the best choice since the magnesium is more readily absorbed from these sources.

If you try these and have no relief after a couple of months please do write back and let me know.

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