Ayurvedic Treatment Of Mouth Ulcers / Stomatitis

There is hardly any person who has no blisters in his mouth. Its pain is only known to anyone has ever suffered from ulcers in the mouth. In stomatitis there is a burning sensation in the mouth, it becomes difficult to eat or drink anything. Some people even get a blister in the food pipe too. Having a blister in the mouth is a common problem, which after some time gets cured automatically. Some people have these ulcers repeatedly and bother them a lot. Such people should get their body checked completely so that they can be treated properly by ascertaining their causes.

There is not one reason to have blisters in the mouth, there are many reasons. Not necessarily because of which one is having blisters then another person will also have for the same reason. Many times, they also get mouth ulcers by the stomach’s heat. The use of excessive chili-spices is also responsible for it, because if the stomach’s action is not correct, then its reaction appears in the form of a mouth ulcer.

Causes of Mouth Ulcers

• According to Ayurveda, the ulcers in the mouth are due to stomach disorders and abdominal heat. Indigestion is the root cause of it.
• Sometimes cheek or part of the tongue comes between the teeth while eating something, due to which the ulcers are formed. Such blisters are automatically cured by the saliva of the mouth.
• Due to the side effects of allopathic medicines, there may also be ulcers in the mouth, especially with the use of antibiotics for long periods of time. Using antibiotics in a greater amount decrease the number of beneficial germs in our intestines. As a result, blisters develop in the mouth.
• It is common to have ulcers in the mouth due to the wrong structure of teeth. If the teeth are horizontal, pointed or half-broke, and due to this they sting in tongue or mouth or they are constantly rubbing them, then the blisters are produced there.
• If a sharp tooth continues to fracture or sting with the tongue or cheek for a long time, then there is also a possibility of having cancer.

Ayurvedic Concept for Mouth Ulcers

According to Ayurveda mouth ulcers are known as ‘Sarvasar Rog’ ‘Mukhapaka’ where Mukha means mouth and Paka means ulceration or suppuration. As per Ayurvedic literature, there are various causes which lead to the formation of oral ulcers:

• Excessive consumption of Khara (rough), dry (ruksha), laghu (light), teekshna (spicy) food.
• Not taking proper sleep
• Vata and Pitta dosha vitiating food
• Excessive intake of fried stuff
• Not taking water or liquids sufficiently
• Talking too much
• Brushing improperly
• Not maintaining oral hygiene
• Strain and stress

Meaning- Features of healthy Pitta – responsible for good vision, increases digestive fire thus improves digestion, increases hunger and thirst, softness in the body, enhances complexion, increases intellectual power.

Reference- Charak Samhita, part 2, Trishothiadhyay 18, shloka no. 50

Due to these causes, Pitta dosha gets vitiated resulting in indigestion and oral ulcers.

When these oral blisters become chronic, purification therapy called shodhana is done to treat them. And if these ulcers are in their acute stage following a few steps you can relieve them.

• Apply some coconut oil or ghee on the blisters in the mouth. It relieves the burning sensation and pain, also initiates healing owing to their soothing and cooling properties.
• Chewing leaves or fruit buds of guava help in reducing the pain and facilitates the healing process of mouth sores.
• Avoid intake of spicy or hot food, tea, coffee, tobacco, and alcohol.
• Take papaya and jimikand as it helps in healing the ulcers.
• Mostly these oral ulcers are associated with constipation hence to correct it one can take Vara Churna. It is a natural laxative which helps to relieve constipation. Take it before going to bed.
• You can also boil leaves of aamla and guava and use it for a gargle or mouthwash.
• Raita, i.e. boil bottle guard and cut it into pieces, slice cucumber into pieces and add them into curd. Have it with chapati, this will help in healing mouth sores.
• Gargles with a decoction made from ficus religiosa’s leaves or jasmine helps to soothe and relieve the ulcers.
• Mulathi or licorice has proved to be very effective in treating oral ulcers, found during research. You can just chew it or make a decoction of the herb. It cleanses the mouth, soothes the burning and pain of ulcer and arrests decaying of a tooth. Taking an extract of licorice has proven to benefit much more.
• Apply honey on the oral sores. It possesses antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties which help to prevent any kind of oral infection and relieve inflammation in the oral mucosa.
• Taking Gulkand prepared from petals of rose can be helpful. Take 1-2 teaspoon one or two times a day, relieve burning sensation and soothes the ulceration.

As these oral blisters are caused due to the aggravation of Pitta, predominantly seen in Pitta body type, so follow some tips to manage the Pitta dosha –

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• Do not go for fasting or skip meals
• Avoid intake of hot and spicy food go with the cooling things
• Take sweet and light food
• In diet, you can include cumin seeds, cucumber, ghee, coriander seeds, raisin, and almonds
• Take coconut water or juice of sugarcane two or three times a day