There is nothing more irritating than experiencing an ulcer or gum damage in the mouth. Healing is difficult as obviously the mouth is in constant use. I’ve had a persistent sore at the back of my mouth for it must be over 4 years now – the dentist has no suggestions of what to do, and the gum does not sealing against the tooth.
What makes it worse?
For years I would brush vigorously with toothpastes and use mouth washes every day. I stopped the mouthwashes when the dental hygienist told me they stain the teeth. If you read the small print on the label, that is indeed correct, so I stopped the mouth wash and no longer need the hygienist to scrape away at the brown stains. Lol. I then read about sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). This is a detergent that is used in toothpaste to make them foamy. And guess what, it can irritate gums. Some people experience ulcers as a result of these products.
There is research into SLS that shows that using SLS-free products can reduced the number of ulcers, how long they lasts and the level of pain that people experience (Alli 2019). Wowzers. That’s quite significant. Maybe in people like myself who are susceptible, going SLS-free is sensible. In fact I don’t use any dental products now containing long lists of chemicals and there’s been a remarkable difference in the dodgy bit of my mouth. I use Weleda toothpastes . No nasties there and just lovely herbs.
Flare-ups
There have been two horrible occasions when the back of my mouth has swollen so much I could not close my jaw. The first time I was given antibiotics which I hate taking. The second time was last week at Gatwick airport when I was about to fly off on holiday. My gum was blowing up like a balloon and I was about to play the saxophone for a week. I bought some Bonjela thinking that’s the right thing to do and it aggravated everything so much that I couldn’t close my jaw. I was seriously thinking I’d have to go home.
Arnica to the rescue
Ironically I’ve been researching Arnica for two years now and give talks on the research. One good use for arnica gel and homeopathic arnica tablets is for the relief of dental pain and swelling after tooth removal. There was a clinical trial published only last week on this. The study showed that homeopathic arnica eased pain and swelling in people who had had molar teeth removed.
So at the airport I had nothing to lose and got out my Weleda Arnica Oil and dabbed it on my mouth. My past experience of having antibiotics is that it took 3-4 days to even start to reduce. To my relief and amazement, by the end of my flight I could close my jaw, and the swelling eased rapidly over the next few days. I would dab the Arnica on between meals and tried not to drink anything to give it a chance to work.
What I would say is I was extremely cautious to only put a small amount on my finger, as we shouldn’t ingest Arnica. Weleda do homeopathic tablets and a lovely range of dental products, but I did not have anything else with me.
Other herbs
When I’m at home to help with swelling and healing I use plantain that grows in my lawn. This is great plantain (Plantago major) with the wide ribbed leaves. They are full of gooey mucilage that helps bind wounds, and also contain flavonoids and tannins which help fight infection and reduce inflammation. I pick a fresh leaf, wash it under the tap and then chew it and place on the gum for about 5 minutes. Voila.
I also use Triphala which is an Ayurvedic remedy of three fruits which is a bitter powder. Triphala is great for the gut, but I dissolve a capsule in warm water and use as a mouth wash. It is researched as a mouthwash to help with root canal treatment, and I use it before bed to rinse round when my gum is bad.
Tips for gum health
If you have recurring ulcers or sensitive gums, check the chemicals in your toothpaste and mouth wash. Can you switch to non-chemical alternatives to avoid the SLS?
Arnica oil or mouth gels may help relieve swelling and pain if you are having a gum flare-up or have had a tooth removed.
Other herbs like plantain (Plantago) and Triphala are also researched and may help heal gum flare-ups, or be helpful for general mouth hygiene.