Canker Sores: Causes, Relief & Healing - A Comprehensive Guide

While the exact cause of canker sores is unknown, these lesions tend to appear after trauma to the mouth -- such as biting the inside of the cheek or lips, excess stress, hormonal changes and general poor hygiene. These lesions are small open wounds inside the mouth. While harmless, they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. There's no cure for canker sores, but you can take certain measures to alleviate the pain and discomfort felt while the sore is healing on its own.

Things You'll Need

• Cup
• Spoon
• Salt
• Topical Numbing Ointment

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Instructions

• 1

  Combine a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of table salt and stir with a spoon until the salt is dissolved.

• 2

  Take a few sips of the salt water and swish it around in your mouth for ten seconds. Spit out the water without swallowing any.

• 3

  Repeat every four hours or after doing something that may irritate the sore, such as eating or smoking.

• 4

  Apply a topical numbing ointment to the canker sore every four hours or as needed for pain. These ointments are generally used for tooth pain, but will also numb the canker sore.