Mouth ulcers found on your lips, cheeks or on the inside of your mouth are often called canker sores. These sores can be found underneath your tongue and even on the insides of your cheeks or tonsils. There is no one specific cause of canker sores but you may be able to take steps to prevent them. An injury to your mouth can happen while you are going about your daily life but it can lead to painful canker sores because this kind of trauma can break your mucus lining. Canker sores may also be caused by bacteria or virus or even by an attack on healthy cells from your immune system. Some scientists also believe that a vitamin and mineral deficiency can also lead to a higher frequency of canker sores. Deficiencies that are thought to cause canker sores include iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin B complex deficiencies.The Best Canker Sore Home Remedies

One of the most common culprits of canker sores are foods that have a high acid content. These foods, which may include pineapple, eggs, nuts, coffee, and strawberries, are often known to cause irritation to the mouth. Stress can lead to a number of health problems as the hormonal changes that come from stress may exacerbate the problem. People who live highly stressful lives are often known to suffer from a greater amount of canker sores. On the other hand, a certain toothpaste or other oral hygiene product like mouthwash may include ingredients that have been linked to recurring canker sores.

Home Remedy for Canker Sores
German Chamomile:
Chamomile is a herb that has been used traditionally for thousands of years for a variety of conditions such as sore throat, gingivitis, Eczema, Psoriasis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, colds, abscesses, and Ulcerative Colitis. Chamomile is also used to relieve pain in people with canker sores. In one preliminary study, 82% of people taking a German chamomile extract reported "excellent" pain relief. The study didn't include a placebo group, however, so it's impossible to know the true effectiveness of German chamomile in this study.

People with allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemum, aster, or feverfew should avoid chamomile because it is in the same plant family. Allergic reactions which require urgent medical attention may include swollen eyes and lips, itching, hives, throat tightness, and shortness of breath. Chamomile may interact with sedative medications, alcohol, and anti-clotting and anti-platelet ("blood-thinning") medications such as warfarin (coumadin).

Lady's Mantle:
The herb lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) has been used as a folk remedy for mouth and throat infections, menopausal ailments, painful menstrual periods, and skin rashes. One preliminary study examined the effectiveness of a gel containing lady's mantle (3% extract of lady's mantle) in glycerine in 48 people with canker sores. People applied the gel three times daily. After three days, the lady's mantle gel relieved discomfort and healed canker sores in 75% of people, compared with 40 percent who used commonly available treatments and 33.3% who used no treatment.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL):
A form of the herb licorice, called deglycyrrhizinated licorice or DGL, has been explored for canker sores in a small study. By the third day of the study, 75 percent or 15 people had complete healing of canker sores. The study lacked a placebo group, however, which makes it impossible to conclude from this study that DGL was effective.

The study used a mouthwash made of powdered DGL mixed with water. DGL is different from crude licorice because it has had the glycyrrhizic acid removed, the portion that can increase blood pressure. Alternatively, DGL tablets can be allowed to dissolve in the mouth.