An aphthae represents a very painful but harmless damage to the mucous membrane of the gums, oral cavity, tonsils or tongue. The causes of aphthae are largely unknown.
What helps against aphthae?
A home remedy for aphthae is chamomile flowers steeped in alcohol for a few days. To clarify the question of what helps against aphthae, first of all, its basic characteristics should be discussed. Aphthae are small ulcers with a fibrin coating on the oral mucosa. They are sometimes very painful. The majority of aphthae belong to the so-called minor aphthae with a size of up to five millimeters. In rare cases, major aphthae can also occur, which can reach a diameter of up to two centimeters. As a rule, however, they disappear again after about one to two weeks. However, they can be extremely painful, depending on where they are located. Whether an aphthe is large or small does not matter when it comes to pain. Thus, a majoraphthe may remain painless, while a minoraphthe, if located in an awkward place, can be very painful. However, causal treatment is neither possible nor necessary, because the causes of aphthae have not yet been clearly identified and they usually disappear again quickly. However, the often extreme pain impairs the quality of life to such an extent that symptomatic pain treatment is indicated. The causes of aphthae are still largely unknown. A genetic disposition is suspected, which leads to the formation of aphthae under appropriate conditions, such as stress or weakening of the immune system. In some cases, a viral infection seems to be the underlying cause. Thus, aphthae formation may also occur under the influence of the herpes virus. Aphthae may occur once or recurrently. Less commonly, they are caused by systemic diseases that lead to nutrient and vitamin deficiencies, such as celiac disease, HIV, or Behcet’s disease.
Quick help
The extreme painfulness of aphthae sometimes makes it necessary to take quick action to relieve the pain. There are many remedies that promise quick pain relief. However, they do not act causally, but only symptomatically. For treatment, cortisone-containing pastes, antiseptic solutions, rinses with hydrogen peroxide or even antibiotics are offered. The large number of remedies already shows that there is no really effective medication against aphthae. Ointments, sprays and gels containing such active ingredients as lidocaine, polidocanol, chlorhexidine or benzydamine have proved effective for rapid pain relief. The mechanism of action of these active ingredients varies. What they all have in common is that they temporarily relieve pain when applied superficially. To protect against the unbearable pain, treatment of aphthae with these agents should be continued until they heal on their own. Concentrates for dabbing on have also proved effective. For example, Pyralvex solution based on salicylic acid and rhubarb roots or Albothyl concentrate show good analgesic effects when dabbed on the corresponding aphthae. Certain agents, also called astringents, have an astringent and caustic effect. They cause dead tissue to be shed and thus indirectly support accelerated healing. These agents include hydrogen peroxide, silver nitrate, phenolsulfonic acid compounds, policresulene, and also myrrh tincture and rhubarb root extract.
Alternative remedies
Good analgesic effects also possess some home remedies. In addition, they can also speed up the healing process a little. Among the aphthae home remedies is the tincture of chamomile. This tincture can be made by yourself. Chamomile flowers are steeped in seventy percent alcohol for a few days. Then the decoction is strained and diluted with boiled water. Daily rinsing of the mouth with the tincture has a positive effect on healing. Furthermore, green tea is a proven home remedy against aphthae. Especially the catechins contained in the tea have an antioxidant effect. Thus, daily drinking of green tea has a positive effect on the healing of aphthae. Other effective home remedies include papaya, aloe vera and radish juice. All three home remedies contain active ingredients that inhibit inflammatory processes.Applying baking soda or vitamin C to the aphthae also positively affects the healing process.
