Ouch! Canker sores can be such a painful nuisance.
If you’re looking for essential oils to help stop canker sores’ pain and help them heal quickly, I’ll share a great natural way that can help!
Essential oils for canker sores can provide instant pain relief and speed up the healing process.
These yucky sores are often mistaken for cold sores. The difference though is that the latter occur on the outside of the mouth and are caused by a herpes virus.
The former occur on the inside of the mouth, generally on the inside of the lips or the gums facing the lips. Unlike it’s mistaken for counterpart, they are not contagious.
Canker sores are caused by various things, from stress to friction and chemicals in your toothpaste to vitamin deficiency.
Essential oils can be helpful in two ways:
First, they stop the sharp pain that occurs when you’re trying to talk or eat when you’re mouth is “inflamed”
Second, they also aid in preventing infection. This is good if you want to avoid further, undesirable pain!
I need to also add that because essential oils are powerful plant medicines, they can encourage quick and complete healing for everything from troublesome baker’s cysts to persistent respiratory congestion.
The Best Essential Oils for Canker Sores
There are several essential oils to choose from for canker sores. Some are “hot oils,” so you must use caution and dilute them.
We will get more into that below. Here are the best essential oils for canker sores:
1. Frankincense essential oil
This one is a powerful healer, when it comes to skin and soft tissue.
This oil can help almost any painful issue that needs a boost.
What’s more is it’s antimicrobial helping to avoid things becoming worse due to infection.
2. Clove essential oil
A little known secret, clove is remarkable for dental pain of any type. When it comes to treating canker sores it’s just as potent.
Be sure to get this one (I share a great recipe below). I love this for helping all kinds of sores.
3. Geranium essential oil
It helps cankers sores heal by causing the blood vessels to contract around the application area.
I use this one for patients that have a cut or sore that won’t stop bleeding.
4. Oregano essential oil
This is what we call a “hot oil” meaning you never want to apply it direct (as-is) to your skin or it can cause a burning sensation.
I share below how you can use this safely by diluting it out with a carrier oil.
But you’ll want to use it because it’s most potent plant antimicrobial available. It will heal up canker sores fast!
5. Tea Tree (Melaleuca) essential oil
This one is critical to use any time there is a disruption of the skin’s surface, including the oral mucosa.
It’s purpose here serves as an important infection preventer among other important benefits.
My Suggested Recipes and Pairing Choices
As you may already know, essential oils are all-natural remedies, and they are extracted from different species of plants.
They make excellent home remedies because they are so powerful yet relatively safe when used correctly.
Their strength and potency are essential to their healing properties, but it also makes it important for you to know a few points before using oils on the delicate skin inside the mouth.
My caveats…
First of all, since these plant oils are so potent, you must use them properly and particularly dilute them properly.
Next, know that essential oils and water don’t mix.
We’ll be using essential oils in a rinse to help with canker sores below, but you must use caution not to swallow them. In most cases, you should not be adding essential oils to water at all.
And if the burning sensation some oils cause becomes uncomfortable, avoid adding water to it as it’ll worsen the sensation.
What’s more?
My big tip is to let you know there’s a simple solution if the essential oils you use for canker sores do cause discomfort.
Be sure to have a food-grade carrier oil nearby, such as fractionated coconut oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil, to apply to stop the discomfort.
I’ll give you some specific application methods below.
But first…
I want to provide you with a couple of combinations to help you maximize the healing properties and reduce pain.
To get started, you’ll want to select your oils. When using essential oils for canker sores, it’s best to choose one from the list above.
Peppermint oil isn’t listed above and can be added to these combinations to improve the flavor. These treatments will be applied in the mouth, so we don’t want it to taste too bad.
Combinations that Bring Results
Here are a few suggested pairings for maximum results:
1. Oregano and clove
These two are a lovely combination for canker sores that are very large and painful.
They pack a powerful punch that works on the root cause. Oregano is powerfully antimicrobial, and clove has a lasting numbing effect.
2. Tea Tree and Frankincense
These two oils paired together will help to stop the pain and encourage cellular healing.
3. Tea Tree and Geranium
They are an effective combo to shrink canker sores fast.
How to Apply Essential Oils for Canker Sores
Remember, safety first! Make sure you dilute your essential oil and have a nice plant-based oil nearby if your skin starts to get warm or irritated.
The oral mucosa or the skin inside your mouth can be pretty sensitive, so it is best to be prepared.
Topical Spot Treatment Application
It can’t be said enough, safety first! Make sure you have a plant-based oil nearby in case of irritation.
- Add one tablespoon of carrier oil to a glass bowl.
- Add 2-4 drops of each oil you choose, for a total of 4-6 drops to the oil, and stir it around a bit.
- Use a q-tip to dab some of the mixture onto the affected areas inside the mouth.
Mouth Rinse
The mouth rinse is great to use for active canker sores or preventatively if you get them frequently.
The steps below are for a full recipe, so you will need an amber bottle to store it in.
- Take 1 cup of water, preferably distilled
- Choose three oils listed above or two oils and add peppermint for a more palatable experience.
- Add five drops of each of the three oils to the water.
- Shake vigorously. Use about 1 ounce at a time as a mouth rinse.
- Swish for 30 seconds and then spit it out.
- Remember not to swallow the mouth rinse.
Using essential oils for canker sores can provide fast and effective pain relief, and it can also give your body the boost it needs to heal these canker sores quickly.
Getting rid of your conventional mouth wash for the mouth rinse recipe above may even prevent future canker sore issues.
Remembering to dilute your essential oils and not to swallow them when using them in your mouth.
Good luck, and remember you’re go-to recipes to help your mouth feel happy and pain free!