• Home
  • Start Here
  • Acne
  • Weight Loss
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Write for Us

Home Remedies For Life

Home / Dental & Oral Hygiene / Canker Sore

How to Cure Canker Sore With Baking Soda

baking soda for canker soreCanker sore, mouth ulcers or aphthous ulcers occurs inside the mouth on the lips, cheek, tongue and throat. They appears in yellow or white with a red border. Although they are not contagious, they can cause you a lot of stress and pain. Some possible causes are poor diet, stress, food allergies, low immune system, etc. with symptoms of a burning or tingling sensation, fever and swollen lymph glands.

Baking soda for canker sores:

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a white crystalline compound that can be used for treating many health and beauty problems, including canker sores. It acts as an antacid, alkalizing agent, cavities washer and exfoliator.

Below are baking soda’s properties which explain why it is good at healing the sores.

  • Baking soda neutralizes the acid or acidity in mouth and soothes the pain caused by cancer sore.
  • It balances the pH levels of the mouth and body.
  • It effectively lessens the ability of bacteria to get into the salivary glands.
  • It has anti – inflammatory property that helps to reduce the swelling and inflammation.
  • It has anti – bacterial and anti – fungal, anti-septic properties that helps to kill the bacteria, shield ulcers from infection, freshen the breath and keeps all infection away from the mouth.
  • The baking soda paste acts as a protective layer.

How To Use Baking Soda To Treat Cancer Sores:

1. Baking Soda with Water

This process is widely used to treat canker sores on the lips, gums, tongue, throat, etc. to get quick relief from the pain and adds a protective layer on the mouth.

Process:

  • Mix 1 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon baking soda to make a fine paste.
  • Apply this on the affected areas of the mouth either with a cotton ball or your fingers.
  • Leave for few minutes to get dry.
  • Rinse it off with lukewarm water and gargle to clear the bacteria and the acid that causes canker sores.
  • Repeat the same process once daily.

2. Baking Soda

This process may cause some irritation, so test it first before continuing.

Process:

  • Apply a sufficient amount of baking soda directly on the sore either with cotton swab or your finger.
  • Leave for a few hours.
  • This process helps to neutralize the acid reaction and eases the pain.
  • Wash your mouth with lukewarm water to remove the bacteria.
  • Apply this regularly.

3. Baking Soda with Hydrogen Peroxide and Salt

Hydrogen peroxide has anti – bacterial and anti – septic properties that help to kill the bacteria and reduces the inflammation. Salt prevents the bacterial infection and draws out the fluids from the sore to heal faster.

Process:

  • Combine small amounts of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide (3%) and salt.
  • Rinse the mouth with this solution 4 – 5 times a day.

4. Baking Soda with Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that help to ease the pain, speed up the healing and cures the canker sores effectively.

Process:

  • Rinse your mouth thoroughly with aloe vera juice.
  • Take small quantity of baking soda and place this on the sore directly with either cotton ball or fingers.
  • Leave it like that for few minutes and then again rinse off with water.
  • Follow the same process until the problem is gone.

5. Baking Soda Mouth Wash

Rinsing your mouth will help you to cure the canker sores by eliminating the bacteria and soothing the pain.

Process:

  • Mix ½ cup of warm water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda until the baking soda has dissolved completely.
  • Use this to rinse your mouth and gargle.
  • Make sure that not to swallow this mixture.
  • Do this once a day.

6. Baking Soda with Salt

Ingredients:

  • Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Water – 3/4 to 1 cup

Process:

  • Mix equal quantities of baking soda and salt.
  • Add sufficient amount of water and stir well.
  • Apply this mixture on the canker sores.
  • Leave for a few minutes and rinse it off with the remaining water.
  • Or you can simply use this as a mouth wash.
  • Continue doing this process for at least 3 – 4 days.

7. Baking Soda with Salt Water and Liquid Benadryl

Ingredients:

  • Baking soda – 2 teaspoons
  • Warm water – 1 cup
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Liquid Benadryl

Process:

  • Add baking soda and salt to warm water.
  • Stir it well and add liquid Benadryl.
  • Swish this around your mouth for a few minutes.
  • Spit out the mixture, do not swallow.
  • Regularly follow up this process.

8. Baking Soda with Peppermint Oil and Water

Ingredients:

  • Baking soda – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Peppermint essential oil – 2 to 3 drops
  • Water – 2 ounces

Process:

  • Mix water, baking soda and peppermint essential oil together.
  • Use this as a mouthwash.
  • Use this regularly.

Tips and Precautions To Be Followed While Using Baking Soda:

Even though baking soda is good for curing canker sores, follow the below mentioned tips and precautions for minimal side effects.

  • Baking soda might sting a bit, so be careful while applying.
  • Regularly use baking soda mouth wash particularly after each meal and before bedtime.
  • You can also use baking soda as a toothpowder to brush your teeth.
  • Baking soda has high levels of sodium, so its better to limit the quantity you use. You should rinse out your mouth thoroughly with water after using.
  • People who are suffering with blood pressure problems, on a diet control or who have to restricted their sodium intake should avoid using these remedies or consult their doctor.
  • Never delay to make an appointment with your doctor or dentist if anything goes wrong.
  • Use arm and hammer dental care baking soda tooth powder which is SLS free.

All these baking soda remedies are natural and effective but you have to try these methods regularly.

Do you know any other baking soda methods or natural home remedies for canker sores? Feel free to share your experience with us.

Cartoon of Rajee
Rajee Datti

Hi everyone, this is Rajee!

I live the beautiful city of Baltimore, where my husband works.

I’m from India. I have been visiting India on and off for past few years and my mom was an inspiration for me to start this site. She has a wealth of knowledge on home remedies for a large number of health problems, and we grew up in an environment where frequent visits to the doctor just wasn’t logistically or financially feasible.

Despite this, she managed to raise a family of healthy kids, and my goal here at Home Remedies for Life is to pass on some of her knowledge of natural remedies.

Comments

  1. bonnie says

    October 21, 2016 at 1:32 am

    For your gums can l use baking soda and brush it on thank you

    Reply
    • Admin says

      October 25, 2016 at 12:14 pm

      Yes, you can brush your gums using baking soda.

      Reply
  2. jay says

    February 23, 2017 at 4:03 am

    can baking powder be used instead

    Reply
    • Admin says

      February 23, 2017 at 8:47 am

      No, you should not use baking powder instead of baking soda in the above mentioned methods. Baking powder and baking soda are different in nature.

      Reply
  3. Samantha says

    April 26, 2017 at 7:19 pm

    How long does it take to heal?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      April 28, 2017 at 6:32 am

      It is difficult to tell the exact time as everyone’s condition is different. So, try the remedy regularly until you see the results. However, you may observe improvement in few days.

      Reply
  4. Rori says

    May 25, 2017 at 4:45 am

    So I had a canker sore of the past 4 days and it hurts like hell. I tried leaving it alone so that it can heal by itself but i can’t handle the pain and the discomfort especially when I’m trying to eat.. I tried washing out my mouth with listerine, that didn’t seem to help so i tried hydrogen peroxide. Sadly that really didn’t seem to do much either. So then i decided to try baking soda. So i placed the baking soda directly on the sore and it burned like hell. Seriously my heart started racing, my head started to hurt and I felt so dizzy because the pain was excruciating. Its like throwing salt in a wound. Man, I felt this pain in my toes. Moreover the sore started bleeding. But what i have noticed is that the white cast over of the sore has somewhat disappeared. This is literally happened within 5 minutes of applying the baking soda. My question is it natural for the canker sore to bleed after you apply baking soda to it? So i be alarmed?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      June 1, 2017 at 6:52 am

      It might have caused to excess amounts of baking soda application. As it is bleeding we recommend avoiding further application of baking soda and consult a doctor.

      Reply
  5. Alysha says

    June 27, 2017 at 9:03 am

    Can I use cotton swabs for night cause i got expanders and they rub against it so can I

    Reply
    • Admin says

      June 29, 2017 at 8:43 am

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  6. Joy says

    June 29, 2017 at 9:18 pm

    Can a solution of water and baking soda be used to drink for kidney problems?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      June 30, 2017 at 11:14 am

      Yes, baking soda solution can be used to dissolve existing kidney stones. Being alkaline in nature, it reduces the high acidic environment in the kidneys. So, it is also helpful in preventing the formation of kidney stones.

      Reply
  7. Lucy says

    August 20, 2017 at 3:20 am

    THANK YOU!!! I get so many canker Sores and this works so well. I just used it and it stung ALOT at first but I waited 5:00, washed it off and it instantly feels better! (I used the paste option)

    Reply
    • Admin says

      August 22, 2017 at 5:45 am

      Thanks for sharing your experience.

      Reply
  8. Janet Crick says

    August 22, 2017 at 1:57 pm

    I have to say how grateful I am for tip #1 – making a paste with some Baking Soda and water. I suffered terribly for a good 5 days with an ulcer underneath my tongue. It was sooo uncomfortable, making it difficult and extremely painful to talk, eat, etc. I tried various recommended home remedies including tea tree oil, honey, but nothing seemed to work in terms of starting the healing process. As a last resort, I tried the baking soda paste. Heads up – I nearly passed out from the pain/sting when I applied it! Tears sprung to my eyes and the thought “just shoot me instead” flashed across my mind. BUT…… maybe 30 – 45 seconds in, the initial discomfort eased a bit – enough for me to hold the paste in my mouth for a few minutes as recommended, and even try a second application. Can I say that by the time I rinsed out my mouth after keeping the paste on for as many minutes as I could bear, I felt an IMMEDIATE difference. I literally could not believe the difference in just a few minutes. I went to bed after that and woke up the next morning feeling much much better. The discomfort of the ulcer was not completely gone, but I could eat comfortably, and I was no longer speaking like a drunken sailor. I did the application again for good measure – and yes ,again the staggering burning/stinging, but I gritted my teeth – literally and figuratively, bore it for 3 or 4 minutes (by which time the paste starts to dissolve anyway), and I’ve been home free ever since! Within hours I was much much better, and by the following day, I pretty much forgot that I had had an ulcer that tormented me for days before discovering this treatment. I would not recommend putting the baking soda directly on the sore without diluting it as based on my experience with the paste, I personally feel it would be way too strong, but a definite thumbs up for the paste.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      August 24, 2017 at 10:10 am

      Thanks for sharing your experience.

      Reply
  9. Jennifer says

    September 18, 2017 at 8:47 pm

    The advice given here is great, thank you. I am a fan of baking soda for many other remedies, just never tried it for my son who seems to suffer with frequent canker sores.
    The comments are extremely helpful. Thank you all for sharing.

    Reply
  10. Keiley says

    October 26, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    Ok so I just tried the paste and omg I wanted to cry it’s still stinging right now but hopefully it starts feeling a little better soon 😐

    Reply
  11. Lee says

    October 28, 2017 at 4:26 pm

    I have a canker sore 10 mm x 15 mm.
    I put on the baking a can only say hat the pain was incredible.

    Reply
  12. Ryan Grande says

    November 15, 2017 at 1:10 pm

    I tried the baking soda *paste* and after a few minutes i feel like i can smile and eat again in a comfortable way.
    When i tried it my first impression is
    *Im crying and i realize that this is the way that can help me*
    Thanks

    Reply
  13. Linda says

    February 18, 2018 at 5:46 am

    I applied the baking soda directly on the canker sore and it caused it to swell. Is that normal? Why would it cause it to swell?

    Reply
  14. Samantha says

    February 20, 2018 at 2:59 am

    I tried the past option and it worked absolutely Amazing! I cured my mouth sore in just a couple days.I highly recommend these remedies.

    Reply

Ask a Question Cancel reply

I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest Posts

How to Repel Squirrels Naturally

How to Repel Squirrels Naturally (With Natural Cat Litter?)

forest-greenery

How to Safely Find Food and Alternative Medicine in Nature

Top Women's Health Bloggers

Top Women’s Health Bloggers to Follow in 2019

probiotic supplements pregnancy

6 Best Probiotic Supplements During Pregnancy (2019 Reviews)

Aloe Vera for Weight Loss

9 DIY Home Remedies for Weight Loss Using Aloe Vera

Home | About me | Contact © Copyright 2018
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Affiliate Disclosure
Homeremediesforlife.com does not give any medical advice. Tips and remedies specified here are strictly informational. Consult your doctor or health care expert before you try.
Home Remedies for Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead our Privacy Policy