Essential Oils For Canker Sores (With Usage Instructions & Safety Information)

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Canker sores can be painful, unsightly, and downright annoying. Using essential oils for canker sores can help to reduce the swelling, take away the pain, and prevent the infection from spreading. Many essential oils have useful anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that can help you to keep the infection at bay. In no time, you will begin to feel as good as new! The best part of using essential oils is also that they are made with completely natural and safe ingredients. So you would be doing a great service for your body just by applying them.

There are so many essential oils for mouth sores and choosing just one might be quite difficult for you. To make things simpler for you, I have picked the best essential oils for canker sores. Before we go ahead with that list, let us just take a glance at what canker sores are exactly!

What are Canker Sores?

Canker sores are infections or ulcers that form on the inside of the mouth, on the tongue, lips, cheeks, or the roof of the mouth. They often appear round and white with a yellow discoloration in the center. The minor sores last for a very short time mostly close to a week. But the severe ones can last longer and even leave painful scarring inside your mouth. These mouth sores are very different from cold sores. They are also not associated with the herpes virus and luckily aren’t contagious at all. 

The worst part of having a canker sore is the pain it can cause you while eating. It can ruin your day just by being present. So, what exactly can cause a canker sore to suddenly appear in your mouth?

Causes of Canker Sores

These mouth sores can pop up due to a variety of reasons like:

• Biting your mouth or tongue suddenly while eating can cause minor injuries leading to a sore. This is also very painful.
• Sensitivity to certain foods either those that are very salty or spicy could cause canker sores to appear.
• Hormonal shifts in the body can also trigger them. This is common for women especially around the time of the menstrual cycle.
• Feeling stressed and facing lots of pressure daily can be another cause. Therefore monitoring your stress levels is of great importance.
• Following a diet that lacks vitamins like B-12, zinc, or iron.
• Eating foods that are rich in citrus can cause them too. Some such foods include fruits or acidic vegetables.
• Even an allergy to something in your toothpaste or mouthwash is one reason.
• In some cases having to canker sore problems regularly can be due to genetics.

It is also observed that 1 in 5 people get canker sores regulary. This is especially common in women due to hormonal differences.

Symptoms of Canker Sores

If you are reading this you might have a canker sore or might be wondering whether your symptoms are indicative of a canker sore. Here are some of the most common symptoms that you can check for:

• A painful sore or cluster of sores inside your mouth. This can be on your tongue, cheek, and even the roof of the mouth.
• Before a mouth, sore appears you may feel a tingling or burning sensation inside.
• If the sore is severe it may cause you to break out with fever or feel very tired.

Now that you know what causes canker sores, and what symptoms to look out for, let’s move onto the cure! Here are the Best essential oils for Canker Sores: Top 4 Picks.

Best essential oil to quickly relieve canker sore pain: Clove Bud Essential Oil by Plant Guru

Last update on 2025-01-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This clove essential oil works wonders on canker sores. I picked it because the clove is known for its amazing antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Its effects on the herpes simplex virus and hepatitis C have been widely studied. It also greatly decreases the pain associated with a mouth sore. Using it can help you to quickly combat the pain which is just great and allows you to focus on more important things.

Plant guru has made sure that this clove essential oil lives up to their high standards. It is steam distilled and releases a spicy rich aroma. You can apply it directly to your toothpaste to numb any painful areas in the mouth. Not only does the pain disappear fast but it can also cause the sores to heal soon. That’s awesome!

When applying the clove essential oil, just make sure that you dilute it first. Sometimes while applying directly it can be irritating to the skin. 

Best antibacterial essential oil for canker sores: Eve Hansen Organic Tea Tree Oil 

Last update on 2025-01-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Tea tree essential oil is another great remedy for pesky mouth sores. I picked it due to its potency concerning canker sores and other kinds of skin disorders. It has tremendous antiviral, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. You can be sure that your canker sore will disappear after just a few applications of this product. This is because it clears up the bacteria and infection within the sore.

The Eve Hansen tea tree oil will serve you well for mouth sore issues. After that, you can also use it in your soaps or shampoos to keep your skin healthy and safe. It is best to use this tea tree essential oil just twice a day so as not to cause any undue damage to your skin.

Best all-round essential oil for canker sores: Plant Therapy Lavender Essential Oil 

Last update on 2025-01-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

I picked Plant Therapy’s Lavender Essential Oil because of its great versatile qualities. It has a ton of benefits for skin, hair, and on one’s mood as well. Many people tend to overlook it, but it is incredibly powerful for treating canker sores. It has an analgesic ability which minimizes the throbbing pain that these mouth sores cause. It also has the power to reduce inflammation quickly. You can also use it undiluted since it does not irritate the skin as other essential oils do.

You cannot go wrong with this lavender essential oil. Plant Therapy also has multiple rounds of product testing to ensure that their lavender oil is top-notch. You can start using this product with zero hesitation just because of its all-round awesome features.

Best cooling anti-inflammatory oil for canker sores: Plant Therapy Peppermint Essential Oil 

Last update on 2025-01-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

I enjoy using peppermint essential oil! Not only does it have wonderful cooling properties, but it also soothes pain very easily. It is quick to reduce painful inflammation on the skin which is essential when you have canker sores. This Plant Therapy peppermint essential oil does just that and so much more. It helps to revitalize and invigorate the senses leaving you feeling wonderful and relaxed.

Studies have shown that this essential oil could also calm the symptoms of an activated herpes strain. It is so powerful that it even works in cases where other drugs do not. So you cannot go wrong by choosing it and using it!

Verdict

From all of these amazing essential oils, there is one that stands out from the rest. The Plant Therapy Lavender Essential oil is the best for treating canker sores. Not only does it reduce inflammation and pain, but it can also be used for a wide variety of conditions. It is an all-round product and comes in handy for a lot of situations, which is great!

How do I use essential oils for Canker Sores? 

Before applying essential oils to your canker sores, make sure that you dilute the oil first. Some of them can cause skin irritation and pain due to their high potency.

The first step would be to dilute the essential oil by using a carrier oil. You can apply then apply them either by adding a few drops to your toothpaste, mouthwash or on a cotton swab. Before doing that, just rinse your mouth to clean the sore and the area around it. Then slowly dab the essential oil onto the infected and painful area.

You can repeat this only twice a day. Do not overuse the essential oil as that can also be harmful to your health.

Essential oils for canker sores Q and A

What is the best essential oil for canker sores?

The plant therapy lavender essential oil is great for treating canker sores. It has great analgesic and cooling properties. It also works for so many other issues, making it an all-round product.

How can you get rid of a canker sore overnight?

It is tough for canker sores to disappear overnight. You can try rinsing your mouth to keep the sore clean, applying ice chips, and steering clear of acidic foods. Using essential oils can also help clear the canker sore clear up in just a short time.

Can you put tea tree oil on canker sores?

Tea tree oil has such useful antibacterial properties to treat canker sores. You can try the Eve Hansen tree essential oil if you have an annoying sore popping up.

What foods trigger canker sores?

Foods that are very acidic like fruits and some vegetables can cause canker sores to flare up in the mouth. You can avoid the sores by paying attention to the foods that you eat and seeing which ones affect you in this particular way.

 

Safety Information

Essential oils are great but there are certain things you need to keep in mind when using them for topical skin treatments. You should dilute some of the essential oils before applying them since they can be very powerful and cause skin irritation. You can add carrier oils such as coconut oil or jojoba oil to help protect your skin. Overusing the oils can also weaken the skin and cause damage in the long run. Some people might be allergic to certain essential oils. Therefore it is better to do a patch test on the skin before application. Some side effects of using essential oils to treat canker sores can range from a moderate stinging sensation to a large burning sensation as well. In such cases, you should stop applying essential oil as quickly as possible.

When to See a Doctor 

Very often canker sores will appear and within a few days, they will leave you alone. But sometimes a canker sore might fester and in such cases, you should seek medical attention. Here are some moments when you should visit your doctor for canker sore treatments:

• If the sores are unusually large.
• You find that they are recurring with new ones appearing even before the old ones have time to heal.
• If the mouth sores last for longer than two weeks.
• You find the sores spreading beyond your lips.
• You cannot eat or drink water properly.
• When a canker sore appears, you start to get high fever.

Now that you are well equipped with the best essential oils to treat canker sores, you can keep yourself in tip-top shape. Each of these oils will work wonders on you to keep your inside and outside looking healthy.

If you also want to refresh your body you can also check out my guide on the best essential oils for detoxing. There is some great information here to help you take care of yourself as much as possible.