Consume more yogurt: Yogurt contains active acidophilus cultures that can prevent and heal canker sores. Eat at least four tablespoons of yogurt daily to prevent outbreaks. To heal an outbreak, eat at least one eight-ounce container a day.
Avoid foods you are allergic or sensitive to: Food sensitivities or allergies can make mouth ulcers worse. Many canker sores are the result of gluten intolerance. Avoid coffee, spices, citrus fruits, and other foods that may irritate your mouth. If you suffer from recurrent mouth ulcers, you should discuss the diagnosis and treatment of food sensitivities with a nutritionally oriented doctor. For some people, treating allergies may be a key component to restoring health.
Take Foods Rich in B-Vitamins:
Eat green, leafy vegetables and whole grains, These foods are rich in B complex vitamins, which help the body deal with stress, a common trigger in the development of canker sores. Nutritional yeast can supply B vitamins. It is available in health food stores in the form of flakes, which can be added to cereal or salads, or stirred into liquids. Nutritional yeast also comes in the form of a paste which can be spread on bread.
Foods to Eat
- Eat foods that are easy to digest
- Do a one- to three-day carrot-juice fast.
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Wheatgrass juice or liquid chlorophyll; drink two ounces three times a day
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Soft grains, well cooked
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Lightly cooked vegetables
Foods to Avoid
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Dairy products
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Oily foods
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Sweets such as cakes, candies, and raw fruit
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Salty foods
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Animal protein
Nutritional Supplimentation
If your sores are caused by a vitamin or mineral deficiency, supplements of vitamins C and B complex, as well as folic acid, iron, and zinc, may help.
Several studies have found a high incidence of iron and B vitamin deficiency among people with recurrent mouth ulcers. Supplementing with B vitamins - 300 mg vitamin B1, 20 mg vitamin B2, and 150 mg vitamin B6 - has been reported to provide some people with relief. Thiamine (B1) deficiency, specifically, has been linked to an increased risk.
Some people with recurrent mouth ulcers have been reported to respond to lactobacillus acidophilus. Chewing four lactobacillus tablets three times per day may reduce soreness in some people with recurrent mouth ulcers.
Take 1,000 milligrams of the amino acid lysine at each meal during an outbreak and then 500 milligrams at each meal for a week afterward.
Rub the liquid from a vitamin E capsule directly on the sore. Apply it three times a day during an outbreak until the sore heals.
Take 4,000 - 5,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily during outbreaks of canker sores and at least 500 milligrams daily as a way of preventing them.
Zinc lozenges help resolve canker sores by supporting the immune system.
Calcium supplements help counteract the overacidity.