Mouth Ulcers
My 16-year-old son suffers regular bouts of mouth ulcers. We have used mouth washes and various soothing agents but can find no advice on how to prevent or cure them. He will be sitting his GCSE’s this summer and I wonder if the stress of upcoming exams may be making the problem worse? I also suffered mouth ulcers in my teens.
Mouth ulcers, which are open and inflamed sores, develop when the mucous membrane becomes eroded. Aggressive tooth-brushing may be to blame or they can be a sign of a hidden food allergy. They are also commonly linked with a deficiency in the anti-stress B vitamins, says Kerrin Booth, a qualified naturopath and herbalist. Prolonged stress depletes levels of B vitamins so with exams coming up, it makes sense to supplement these.
Overacidity in the digestive system may also be the cause. Again, this is easily corrected by supplementing the diet with sodium phospate. A combined zinc and vitamin A supplement will work together to heal the mucus membranes inside the mouth. You can also apply aloe vera gel directly onto the sore or take a tip from the Ayurvedic practitioners and chew on a piece of fresh ginger root to accelerate healing and prevent infection of these sores.
A soothing tincture of the herb myrrh alsos act as a disinfectant. Make the drink with boiled water or, if you prefer, dab the tincture directly onto the ulcer. It tastes vile - so dilute with water, apply with a cotton bud, and hold in place for as long as you can bear it.
*Blackmores’ Executive B provides all the anti -stress B vitamins. 84 capsules cost £10.40. Mail order on 0208- 995 2293 and take as directed on the bottle. To boost levels of sodium phosphate, order Blackmores’ Sodiphos which costs £4.73 and take one, three times a day. BioZinc, from the same company, will provide additional zinc and vitamin A. 84 capsules cost £8.24 and again, take one capsule, three times d ay. Add £2.50 p&p per order. For myrrh tincture, call Farmacia (020-7831 0830.) 50ml costs £3.95.