Most mouth ulcers heal on their own within one to two weeks, but the right treatments can cut pain significantly and speed that timeline. Your best options range from simple saltwater rinses to over-the-counter numbing gels, and a few lifestyle changes can reduce how often ulcers come back in the first place.
Saltwater Rinses
The simplest and cheapest remedy is one you can make right now. Dissolve half a teaspoon of table salt in a glass of lukewarm water and swish it gently around your mouth for 30 seconds before spitting it out. Queensland Health recommends this ratio for ulcers, minor throat irritation, and denture sores. Salt draws fluid out of inflamed tissue, which temporarily reduces swelling and creates a less hospitable environment for bacteria. You can repeat this several times a day, especially after meals.
Over-the-Counter Numbing Gels
Topical gels containing benzocaine are widely available at pharmacies and provide direct pain relief. These come in concentrations ranging from about 7.5% to 20%, with the 10% to 20% range being most common for mouth and gum irritation. You apply a small amount directly to the ulcer as needed. The numbing effect kicks in within a minute or two and makes eating and drinking far more comfortable. Look for products specifically labeled for oral use, since the formulation matters for safety inside the mouth.
Antiseptic mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine are another pharmacy option. These don’t numb the pain, but they keep the ulcer clean and may prevent it from getting worse. They can stain teeth with prolonged use, so they’re best reserved for active outbreaks rather than daily routine.
Protective Patches and Barrier Products
Adhesive oral patches stick directly over the ulcer and create a physical shield against food, drink, and your teeth. These patches are designed to cling to the wet tissue inside your mouth, typically staying in place for four to six hours depending on where the ulcer sits. Some contain a mild numbing or anti-inflammatory ingredient that releases slowly while the patch is on. Others are purely protective barriers. Either way, they’re especially useful if your ulcer is in a spot that keeps getting bumped by your teeth or rubbed by food.
Oral paste products work on a similar principle. They form a thin coating over the sore that acts as a barrier, though they don’t last as long as patches.
Honey
Applying a small dab of raw honey directly to a mouth ulcer is a popular home remedy, and there’s some biological logic behind it. Honey has natural antibacterial properties and helps keep tissue moist, which supports healing. Some small studies on oral ulcers have found modest benefits in pain reduction and healing time, though the evidence isn’t strong enough to call it a proven treatment. It’s inexpensive, safe, and unlikely to cause harm, so it’s worth trying alongside other approaches. Apply it a few times a day, ideally after eating so it stays in contact with the sore.
Switch to SLS-Free Toothpaste
If you get mouth ulcers repeatedly, your toothpaste may be part of the problem. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is the foaming agent in most toothpastes, and it can irritate the delicate lining of your mouth. A systematic review published through the American Dental Association found that people who switched to SLS-free toothpaste had significantly fewer ulcers, shorter ulcer episodes, and less pain compared to those using standard toothpaste. The reduction was meaningful: on average, about one fewer ulcer per cycle in one analysis, and up to four fewer in studies that tracked patients over longer periods.
SLS-free toothpastes are easy to find. Many brands marketed for sensitive mouths skip SLS entirely. Check the ingredients list on the back of the tube.
Vitamin B12 for Recurring Ulcers
A randomized, double-blind trial published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine tested whether vitamin B12 could prevent recurrent mouth ulcers. Participants took 1,000 micrograms of sublingual B12 daily (a tablet dissolved under the tongue) for six months. By the end of the study, the B12 group experienced significantly fewer ulcer outbreaks, regardless of whether their blood levels of B12 had been low to begin with. This suggests the benefit isn’t just about correcting a deficiency. Sublingual B12 at this dose is inexpensive and widely available at pharmacies and health food stores.
Other nutritional gaps linked to recurrent mouth ulcers include low iron, folate, and zinc. If ulcers keep coming back, it’s worth having your levels checked through a blood test.
Prescription Options for Severe Cases
When ulcers are large, extremely painful, or don’t respond to over-the-counter treatments, a doctor or dentist can prescribe stronger options. Corticosteroid pastes or rinses reduce inflammation directly at the sore and can dramatically shorten healing time for stubborn ulcers.
For patients dealing with widespread mouth sores, particularly from chemotherapy or other medical treatments, doctors sometimes prescribe a compounded rinse often called “magic mouthwash.” According to the Mayo Clinic, the formula varies but typically combines at least three ingredients: a numbing agent for pain, an antacid to help the mixture coat the mouth evenly, and one or more additional components such as an antifungal, a corticosteroid for inflammation, or an antibiotic. You swish it around your mouth and spit it out. It’s not a standard pharmacy product; it has to be mixed to order based on a prescription.
What Makes Ulcers Worse
While you’re waiting for an ulcer to heal, certain foods and habits will aggravate it. Acidic foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vinegar-based dressings sting on contact and can delay healing. Spicy foods, crunchy chips, and crusty bread cause direct mechanical irritation. Alcohol-based mouthwashes burn and dry out the tissue around the sore.
Stress is one of the most consistent triggers for recurrent mouth ulcers, though the exact mechanism isn’t fully understood. Hormonal shifts, lack of sleep, and minor injuries from biting your cheek or aggressive tooth brushing are also common triggers. If you notice a pattern, addressing the trigger is often more effective than treating each ulcer after it appears.