7 Effective Ways to Decrease Your Mouth's Acidity to Speed Healing of Canker Sores
One of the most important physiological processes that our bodies try to maintain is to keep a neutral hydrogen (pH) level. This means that we function best when our bodies are neither too acidic nor too alkaline. pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14, with zero being most acidic and 14 being most alkaline.
Your mouth's pH is buffered by the constant flow of saliva. Saliva contains natural bicarbonate to keep oral pH close to neutral (between a pH of 6.75 to 7.25). For optimal oral health, it is generally better to have more alkaline saliva (pH greater than 7) because unfriendly bacteria tend to thrive in more acidic environments.
A common finding in patients with oral ulcers is that their mouth's pH is too low, and the increased acidity could hinder the healing of their canker sores. If you find that you are a frequent canker sore sufferer or that your canker sores take a long time to heal, try to decrease the acidity of your mouth. You can find out if your mouth is acidic by using a saliva pH test strip
How to Decrease Oral Acidity
- Follow an alkaline diet
- Foods that are alkaline include vegies, seeds, and beans
- Use an alkaline mouthwash
- There are some mouthwashes in the market that have pH values up to 11. You can also add 1 tsp of baking soda to 1 cup of water for a alkaline mouth rinse
- Chew sugar-free gum
- Chewing gum stimulates saliva flow which is a natural buffer for your mouth
- Try oil pulling
- This is an ancient practice of using oil to help "pull" impurities and bacteria from your mouth and body. Oil pulling can decrease harmful bacteria that produce acid as well as stimulate saliva flow which helps reduce oral acidity
- Oil pulling may also reduce inflammation
- Keep hydrated
- Keeping hydrated will increase saliva production which will help neutralize the acid in your mouth
- Limit acidic foods and beverages
- Limit carbohydrates
- Bacteria in your mouth break down the carbohydrates into acids
- Eating cheese after acidic foods to counteract the acids
- Cheese increases saliva flow and decreases acid to keep bad bacteria at bay
Canker sores can be painful, but when coupled with an acidic mouth, the pain can be excruciating. Not only is the acidity a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, it can also worsen your canker sore. Keep your mouth more alkaline by following the tips above and your canker sore will heal much more quickly.
