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Canker sores (or “mouth sores”) are irritating bruises that form on the skin inside your mouth. Apart from being downright painful, canker sores are annoying for a whole host of reasons. They can make it harder to eat, talk, or otherwise manipulate your mouth.
Canker sores can appear at literally any time, and because of their position within the mouth, they can be very hard to treat effectively.
Fortunately, essential oils can be very effective at treating canker sores naturally. Many EOs have natural anti-inflammatory and cooling properties, allowing them to work double time toward relieving pan and healing the affected area.
In this article, we’ll share a bit more about our personal success using essential oils for canker sores and outline our top 5 favorites do you can be ready when the next sore strikes.
What Are Canker Sores?
“Canker sores” and “mouth sores” are a condition known medically as aphthous ulcers, small ulcers that can develop in the mouth for a number of reasons:
- Genetic predisposition
- Diet and exercise
- Stress and anxiety
- Braces or foreign dental material
- Chemotherapy
- Spontaneous occurrence
Canker sores are often confused for cold sores, but they are neither contagious nor do they appear on the lips (both of which can be said of cold sores). Though painful, they typically resolve themselves in a few days or weeks depending on the severity of the case.
Because of this, it’s rare that canker sores need to be treated with medical intervention. But that doesn’t mean those of us with canker sores are doomed to suffer until they heal. Generations of people have perfected various home remedies to ease the pain of canker sores. Essential oils, specifically, have been used to treat mouth pain from canker sores for hundreds of years all naturally.
How Do Essential Oils Treat Canker Sores?
Eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils are natural anti-inflammatories, and they have anti-microbial agents that help prevent infection. They both have cooling powers as well, which can soothe the sore spots and bring some relief.
Essential oils are volatile compounds distilled from natural plant material. These compounds have been proven to confer upon us humans many positive health benefits. Each essential oil provides it’s own unique combination of benefits, but collectively they have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties to support relief from and prevention of canker sores.
In terms of delivery methods, canker sores are one ailment that are best treated through topical application rather than diffusion or aromatherapy. Specifically, essential oil-infused mouth washes and rinses are widely used as treatment, and they’re one method of delivery I would highly endorse and recommend.
Mouth rinses have the benefit of washing your entire mouth in the soothing benefits essential oils can have. Other forms of topical application, such as spot application using an essential oil diluted into a carrier oil, provide only localized benefits to the spot where the sore itself sits, leaving the rest of the mouth untouched.
Top 9 Essential Oils for Canker Sores
As you look to create your essential oil mouthwash, the question remains: what oils do I put in it?
Every essential oil is different in terms of the benefits it provides. Not only that, each person will likely differ in the benefits they take from a given EO. Invariably, there will be some period of trial and error while we figure out what works for us.
For that reason we’ve collected a list of 8 powerful essential oils you can use in the above recipe. We recommend trying different combinations until you find one that works for you.
1. Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
The tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is native to Australia and its essential oil has been used in traditional medicine there for centuries.
Tea tree oil is widely lauded for its proven antimicrobial properties. It contains the compound terpinen-4-ol, a natural virus fighter. It also increases the activity of white blood cells, enabling your system to better repel germs and other foreign invaders.
These benefits make it a great choice for spot treatment of particularly inflamed canker sores. We recommend applying 1-2 drops of tea tree oil to a cotton swab and placing it directly onto the offending mouth sore. It’s going to sting, but as long as you’re gentle it should be bearable.
Note: If you happen to find the pain unbearable, I recommend diluting and trying again with a less concentrated substance.
- Brand: Rocky Mountain Oils
- Benefits: Antibacterial, antiviral
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore.
2. Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Peppermint is a natural choice for oral health issues due to its crisp, fresh scent. For this reason alone, I love diluting peppermint oil into mouthwashes and other breath fresheners.
Keep in mind that essential oils should never be ingested. Ingesting peppermint oil can result in nausea, heartburn, and related gastrointestinal issues.
In terms of healing power, there is evidence that peppermint may help reduce chronic itching. Researchers have also found limited evidence of antibacterial benefits against certain types of bacteria.
In all, peppermint is a great oral health solution for its fresh scent, and it may have limited benefits in soothing skin and preventing the growth of bacteria. That said, there are other oils on this list with far more robust antimicrobial properties, so we encourage you to pair peppermint oil with one or two of those in a mouthwash solution.
- Brand: doTERRA
- Benefits: Fresh scent, soothing
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other essential oils with complementary health benefits.
3. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bergamot is perhaps best known for its powerful soothing properties when used as an aromatherapy treatment.
But it’s also a very effective anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-killer) due to the presence of the compounds linalool and carvacrol. A 2017 review found bergamot oil produced measurable pain relief in both humans and animals.
As such, Bergamot makes a great ingredient in mouth rinses and mouthwashes as well as in spot treatments, ideally when combined with an antibacterial oil like tea tree oil.
- Brand: Young Living
- Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, analgesic
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other essential oils with complementary health benefits.
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore.
4. Lemon (Citrus limon)
Light and airy, lemon oil is one of my all-time favorite essential oils useful in all kinds of scenarios from diffusion and roll-ons to soaps and shampoos.
I could write pages about lemon oil’s benefits in reducing stress and improving cognition. But it’s also been shown to promote faster wound healing and provide powerful pain relief.
Not only that, it contains natural antioxidants that help promote and protect healthy skin.
Overall, lemon oil smells great and packs a healthy punch, which is why I include it in almost every EO blend I make, regardless of the purpose.
In addition to mouth rinses and topical applications, diffusing lemon oil can also help calm and destress your environment.
As mentioned above, stress is one of the leading causes of canker sores, so lemon oil aromatherapy can act as a great preventative treatment to guard against future outbreaks.
- Brand: Vitruvi
- Benefits: Soothing, antibacterial, analgesic
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other EOs for mouth rinse
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore
- Preventative Aromatherapy: Diffuse 10-12 drops in water to reduce incidence of stress-induced canker sores.
5. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Like many woody-scented essential oils, rosemary’s aroma may not be everyone’s preferred scent, but its benefits are undeniable. Sharp and pungent, rosemary’s distinctive fragrance has long been linked to improvements in memory and cognitive functioning.
But that’s not all. Scientists and alternative healers are only just beginning to understand the numerous physical health benefits that rosemary has to offer.
Rosemary is a naturally powerful analgesic, providing even stronger pain relief that acetaminophen (Tylenol). These pain killing properties, combined with its ability to stimulate blood flow, make it a great option for topical treatment of canker sores.
- Brand: Rocky Mountain Oils
- Benefits: Analgesic, blood circulation, memory, stress relief
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other EOs for mouth rinse
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore
6. Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
Myrtle essential oil has long been used in traditional medicine as an oral astringent and antioxidant. Myrtle oil mouth rinses were used in ancient cultures to help treat all manner of abnormalities and ailments afflicting the mouth.
Some studies have also isolated anti-inflammatory and antiseptic compounds in myrtle oil, making it a great option for helping to reduce the size and intensity of mouth sores.
When diffused, myrtle oil provides a calming, woodsy aroma that pairs well with lavender and bergamot. It has been linked to decreases in stress and improvements in mood. Both of which can help reduce the recurrence of canker sores brought about by stress.
- Brand: Aura Cacia
- Benefits: Astringent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other EOs for mouth rinse
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore
- Preventative Aromatherapy: Diffuse 10-12 drops in water to reduce incidence of stress-induced canker sores.
7. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
Clove is another essential oil that feels right at home in the mouth. Studies have linked clove essential oil to reducing tooth erosion and decalcification from sugary drinks in ways chemically similar to fluoride.
In addition, clove oil has been shown to fight cavities and relieve mouth pain as effectively as some over the counter dental gels (without all of the man-made chemicals).
When it comes to canker sores, clove oil can both help heal the sore while also ameliorating the pain you feel during the healing process.
- Brand: Revive
- Benefits: Anesthetic, antibacterial
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other EOs for mouth rinse
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore
8. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Eucalyptus oil is another popular essential oil with a broad array of uses from cough suppressant to insect repellant.
Eucalyptus oil also provides great topical relief for canker sores thanks to the anti-inflammatory compounds present within. In fact, eucalyptus essential oil has been used to treat wounds and prevent infections since the early Australian aborigines first discovered the tree extract.
There are several types of eucalyptus oil available on the market. Most common are Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus radiata. For canker sores, Eucalyptus globulus is going to be your best bet. It is more potent than other variants and therefore carries a higher medicinal load to promote healing.
Eucalyptus is a strong essential oil, so we recommend not applying it more than four times per day and always diluting it with a carrier oil.
- Brand: Plant Therapy
- Benefits: Anti-inflammatory
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other EOs for mouth rinse
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore
9. Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Oregano oil contains the carvacrol, the compound that gives the plant its distinct aroma. Not only that, carvacrol also provides a wide range of health benefits exhibiting anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Carvacol’s antibacterial properties have been well-documented by researchers.
Thymol is also present in oregano oil, a powerful anti-fungal compound that can help block toxins and support the immune system.
When selecting an oregano essential oil for canker sores, you want to pick the one with the highest concentration of cravacol as possible (ideally greater than 65%). This information is usually available on the GC/MS reports for a given lot of oils. You can usually find these reports on a given brand’s website, although some brands (such as Aura Cacia and Whole Foods) unfortunately do not publish this information.
At 86% carvacrol concentration, Teliaoils’ oregano oil is an outstanding choice for those looking to unlock the medicinal benefits oregano oil can have on treating and healing their canker sores.
- Brand: Teliaoils
- Benefits: Antibacterial, antioxidant
- Canker Sore Mouth Rinse: Combine with water and other EOs for mouth rinse
- Canker Sore Spot Treatment: Apply 1-2 drops on cotton swab directly to mouth sore
Final Thoughts
However temporary and, ultimately, harmless they may be, canker sores can be a real pain. Canker sores make simple, essential activities like talking and eating uncomfortable and sometimes even impossible.
Essential oils can help you manage the painful symptoms of canker sores while also helping to reduce and heal the inflammation itself. Diffusing certain essential oils can also help promote a sense of calm and relaxation, helping to prevent future oral ulcer outbreaks and improving your overall quality of life.
Everyone responds to essential oils in their own unique way, that’s why I’ve chosen 9 of the essential oils most effective at combating canker sores and compiled them here. I encourage you to test out different blends and combinations of oils, carriers, and other ingredients as preferred until you find one that works for you.
And when you do, share it in the comments!
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