Secret Home Remedy For Canker Sores

Canker sores (apthous ulcers) are among the most common oral soft tissue diseases encountered in dental practices. This condition affects approximately 20 percent of the general population and primarily occurs in adolescence. Recurrent cankers typically affect the inside of the inner lips and cheeks.

Canker lesions tend to be smaller than 1 cm and heal in 10-14 days without scar formation. This sounds really simple, but if you have had even 1 of these you know how uncomfortable they are, especially while eating and drinking.

A recent study out of the University of Pennsylvania Dental School conducted in 2 centers from September 2012 to October 2013, looked at treatments for canker sores. The most common medication used to treat recurrent cancers is topical corticosteroids (found in Kenalog in orabase gel). This gel accelerates resolution of lesions and relieves symptoms associated with the swelling and tenderness of the sore.

But many people prefer a natural way of treating something, especially when it comes to treating a sore within your mouth. Natural substances such as honey have been used medicinally for centuries to treat a variety of human ailments with minimal side effects. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of topical honey compared with triamcinolone acetonide and orabase treatment in shortening the clinical course and recurrence of minor canker sores.

The main study outcomes were change in ulcer size, pain level, and degree of erythema after application of these agents. The results illustrated that topical honey was associated with a more dramatic reduction in ulcer size than the other groups! In fact, pain was reduced faster and the time to resolution was fastest in the group that used topical honey. It was also noted that it was easier for the subjects to apply honey to the affected area and it seemed to adhere better than the common topical steroid use.

This study suggests that honey may be useful for recurrent canker sores, a common condition encountered in practice and one that does not have many treatment options.