I don’t know if it’s due to increased stress or what, but I recently got a canker sore for the first time since I was a kid. I had forgotten what a (literal) pain they are! As much of a bummer as it was, a weird part of me gets excited when I have a minor ailment because it allows me to put my aromatherapy training to use. I only like to share essential oil blends with you that I’ve personally used and tried myself, so now I hopefully can help some of you who deal with canker sores. I like to dive deep into these topics, so I’ll share the essential oils for canker sores that helped me, and also give some background and other tips for spot treating. Finally, I have a recipe for a mouth wash, which is it’s own separate post (linked below!).

And as a side note before we jump in, I thought it was spelled “canka sore” until college, not realizing that I’d just been hearing my parents say it with a Boston accent all my life. Lol whoops!

What Are Canker Sores?

Canker sores form on the inside of the mouth (tongue, inside of cheeks or lips, base of gums, soft palate on roof of mouth). They are different from cold sores and are not associated with the herpes virus. Canker sores are round and white or yellow in the center, surrounded by a red border. Minor ones like the ones I’ve gotten are small (a few millimeters wide) and typically heal on their own within a week. Some people get major ones which are much larger and can even leave scarring. 

The exact cause of canker sores isn’t known—it can be environmental, dietary, and there may be a hereditary aspect. The following factors may be to blame for triggering an outbreak (via Mayo Clinic):

• Sensitivities to certain foods—eating a ton of salty pretzels would always give me a canker sore as a kid! I’ll get into some of the other common foods later in this post.
• Minor injuries to your mouth (brushing too hard, biting your cheek accidentally, etc.)
• Hormonal shifts when you get your period
• Emotional stress
• Diets lacking in vitamin B-12, zinc, folate or iron
• Celiac disease
• Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis

Best Essential Oils for Canker Sores

Links go to Plant Therapy (affiliate) and Mountain Rose Herbs (non-affiliate), two essential oil brands that I personally use and recommend. I’m not sponsored by either.

Bergamot – Most of the studies around Bergamot indicate it specifically for cold sores caused by the herpes virus, but it’s widely used for lots of ailments of the mouth (thrush, canker sores, sore throat). As a bonus, its antiseptic properties help negate bad breath. Bergamot is used as an anti-stress essential oil, so if your canker sores are often triggered by stress, Bergamot is a great choice to include in a blend.

Lavender – I’ve referred to Lavender as “the duct tape of essential oils” many a time—it’s one of the most versatile oils there is! So it’s no surprise it’s included here. Research shows that topical application of Lavender oil results in a reduction of inflammation level, ulcer size, healing time and pain levels associated with canker sores (source). 

Tea Tree – Tea Tree is used for it’s broad spectrum antimicrobial activity—whether that’s infections of the mouth, warts, fungus, viruses, the list goes on. 

Peppermint – Peppermint is used all the time in oral care because of its efficacy in battling bad breath. Its analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties make it further useful with canker sores.

Lemon – Lemon is another essential oil used in the care of mouth ulcers like canker sores. It has antiseptic, bactericidal and antiviral properties. You’ll notice lemon juice is included in the mouthwash recipe below. Fresh lemon juice can be used for neutralizing a high-acid system. As mentioned previously, acid foods and an acidic body may be a trigger for canker sores.

Rosemary – Similar to Peppermint, Rosemary has analgesic and antiseptic properties that make it useful in treating canker sores. Like Bergamot, it’s indicated for stress-related conditions as well, so if that’s the root trigger for your canker sore, definitely consider including it in your blend.

Myrtle – Myrtle has been traditionally used to treat mouth ulcers in some cultures for years and years. Recent studies have lent scientific backing to such traditions. Myrtle essential oil was down to decrease the average time of pain relief and decrease the size of ulcers in patients with minor canker sores. Its efficacy can be contributed to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and wound-healing properties (source). Another study using myrtle in paste form found similar promising results (source).

While there is research supporting the efficacy of Myrtle, there are also some safety considerations when it comes to using the essential oil, and it can be hard to find for purchase. Because of this, I’m not including it in the blend recipes below.

Essential Oil Mouthwash Recipe for Canker Sores

Now that we’ve listed the best essential oils for canker sores, let’s put them to use properly. I recommend a mouthwash several times a day. Additional spot treatment is optional, but I found it helpful before meals to reduce pain while eating. The goal with these is to reduce pain (especially while eating) and reduce the overall healing time.

Mouthwash

Hop on over to THIS PAGE (will open in a separate tab) for a mouthwash blend recipe for canker sores. I’ll share the recipe I personally use and also go into all the ways you can customize it to fit your needs.

Spot Treatment

99.9% of the time, you do *not* apply essential oils directly to the skin or a mucus membrane without diluting first. This is one of the rare cases where I’d give you a green light.

You can apply a drop or two of Tea Tree oil to a cotton swab (I use a Q-tip) and then *lightly* dab it directly onto the canker sore. It’s going to sting, but it’s mostly the physical contact with the swab that causes the pain, not so much the Tea Tree. If it’s really painful to apply, saturate the Q-tip even more so that you barely have to touch the canker sore to get a small drop onto it. Let the oil sit for 30-60 seconds without swallowing, and then spit out any excess.

This will provide temporary pain relief. I would do this 5 minutes before a meal and it reduced the pain of eating significantly. Don’t overdo the spot treatment, especially if using in addition to the mouthwash. Even though you’re not swallowing the oil, some will naturally absorb.

Safety considerations:

If you have’t used Tea Tree oil before, a skin patch test should be done on your arm prior to applying it to your canker sore. This will ensure you don’t have any sensitivities or allergies to it.

If treating a canker sore on a small child, I would skip the spot treatment and just focus on the mouthwash. Tea Tree is kid-safe, but erring on the side of caution, I don’t typically recommend applying ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​any essential oil neat on a small child. ​​Avoid Peppermint and Rosemary in the mouthwash, as these should not be applied on or near a child’s face due to potential negative respiratory effects. In the mouthwash post linked above, I show how to modify the recipe to make it kid-safe.

Dietary & Lifestyle Tips for Canker Sores

Aromatherapy is not a magic panacea, and should always be used in conjunction with other therapies and/or lifestyle changes. In addition to using the above mouthwash and spot treating, consider the following for keeping canker sores at bay:

Notice what you eat and if certain foods are triggering your canker sores. One common culprit is high-acid foods (tomato sauce, coffee, alcohol). Acidic fruits like oranges, pineapple and grapefruit can also trigger canker sores. Salty foods might be the issue. As a kid, I would frequently get a canker sore after eating a ton of salty pretzels. And if you have specific food sensitivities or allergies, avoiding those foods may help prevent canker sores.

Reduce stress. This could be a bullet point related to just about any ailment—but it’s important! Emotional stress breeds physiological changes. Notice if you experience canker sores during periods of increased stress. You may want to look into meditation and other stress-management practices.

Oral hygiene/mouth protection. If you have braces, the irritation from them could be triggering your canker sores. Ask your dentist about waxes to cover sharp edges. On the hygiene side, regular brushing (with a soft brush) and flossing can help keep your mouth clear of foods that might trigger an outbreak. Also avoid toothpastes and mouth rinses that contain sodium lauryl sulfate (source).

xo Nicole

The statements and blends referenced in this post have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and/or information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition or are taking any medication, consult with your physician before using any essential oil or blend.

I’m a Certified Holistic Aromatherapist through the Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy. Any facts stated in this post that aren’t accompanied by a direct reference came from my course materials and studies. I only share blends with you that I’ve personally used and from which I’ve benefited. I stand behind them 100%! That being said, essential oil blends are most effective when made with the individual in mind. What works well for one person, may not have the same outcome for another.