Home Remedies for Tongue Sores | The Best 6 Remedies

Home remedies for tongue sores, tongue sores are pain or discomfort of all or just a part of the tongue. The tongue is made of muscle tissues so any inflammation or tissue damage will be expressed by pain sensation. The inflammation also leads to swelling, discoloration of the tongue. 

If you notice white or red patches and feel pain, swelling, and burning sensation, you have a tongue sore and these are the best home remedies for tongue sores.

Causes of tongue sores:

1. Gastric reflux as in GERD.

2. Complication of diseases as syphilis, HPV, scarlet fever.

3. Xerostomia

4. Yeast infection inside the mouth.

5. Vit B12 and Vit D and folate deficiency.

6. Allergy to some particular foods.

7. Some medications as NSAIDs (pain killers), antibiotics, ACEIs (treatment of hypertension).

8. Menopause

Although tongue sores usually last for two weeks, they aren’t a serious medical condition, and home remedies for tongue sores can be effective alone or with medication in case of vit B12 or folate deficiency.

The best 6 home remedies for tongue sores:

Regular oral hygiene

Keeping your mouth clean is considered the easiest home remedy for tongue sores as just by brushing your teeth with a soft brusher, you can keep your mouth clean, free from bacteria and infections.

Also, you should avoid brushing your teeth too hard, or using toothpaste that contains sodium lauryl sulfate may increase tongue sores.

Rinsing your mouth with salt and water solution twice daily can keep tongue sores away and reduce the existing ones as it reduces the risk of infection so, promote healing. 

Honey

Due to its natural source, honey is the safest home remedy for tongue sores. Honey has:

-The antibacterial effect

- Antioxidant

-PH balance action

- Wound healing properties

-The osmotic effect that decreases swelling

So, it helps ease sore pain and reduce their sizes.

Applying honey on sores 2-5 daily will help you get rid of tongue sores easily.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile is one of the oldest herbal medicines used in the past, is popular now, and has a bright future as it contains a lot of bioactive components that can be used for several diseases.

For example, flavonoids that have an anti-inflammatory effect, apigenin that promotes wound healing, and antioxidants too.

For tongue sores, chamomile is used as a home remedy for tongue sores by making a tea or an infusion using chamomile, let it cool, and then rinse your mouth with it.

You can also use a soaked chamomile bag and put it directly to the sores.

Ice

Sucking a cube of ice is the cheapest home remedy for tongue sores as once ice reaches your tongue, it activates sensors that will send signals for adrenaline secretion.

Adrenaline is known for its pain-increasing tendency action, so it decreases the uncomfortable feeling. Ice also has a numbing effect that decreases burning sensation.

But be careful while sucking the ice especially when you suffer from sensitive teeth or broken teeth.

Sage leaves

Sage leaves are known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic effects. this makes sage leaves an ideal choice as a home remedy for tongue sores.

Add one or two teaspoons of fresh sage leaves to a cup of boiling water, let for five minutes, strain and use it as a mouthwash twice daily. 

Aloe vera

Aloe vera contains a chemical compound called anthraquinone that has an anti-inflammatory effect makes aloe vera used as a home remedy for tongue sores.

Not only an anti-inflammatory effect but also has a soothing effect. and makes the skin regenerate faster to replace the infected one.

You can rinse your mouth using aloe vera juice many times daily to get rid of tongue sores.

Yogurt

Yogurt has amazing antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory actions. Yogurt provides you with natural probiotics and nutrients that help accelerate the healing of sores.

Getting a cup of yogurt per day can be a very effective home remedy for tongue sores.

You can try to:

• Avoid smoking and alcohol
• Avoid spicy and salty food
• Keep away from acidic foods such as lemon especially if you have Gastric reflux problems.
• Avoid foods with sharp edges as chips.
• Stay away from soda.

When to see a doctor?

As said before, tongue sores aren’t a big deal and usually disappear within two weeks, but if they last more than two weeks you should see your doctor.

You should also see your doctor if the following symptoms appear:

• Fever
• Rash
• Change in sore color
• Bleeding from gum
• Spreading of white patches onto the whole mouth.-Diarrhea
• Inability to eat or drink

Tongue sores caused by syphilis, HPV, or yeast infection require doctor intervention to get rid of infection first.

Summary:

Tongue sores are pathological conditions caused by many reasons that bother you to eat, drink, or even talk but fortunately, it isn’t considered a big concern.

Home remedies for tongue sores decrease symptoms in many cases and help medication in more serious ones.