Mouth ulcers can be extremely painful, making it difficult to eat, drink and speak properly. Moving your mouth even slightly can cause bone-chilling pain. Taking the right medicine is the right way to treat mouth ulcers, but apart from this, it is also very important for you to eat comfort food. According to consultant nutritionist Rupali Dutta, “It is important to find out what you are comfortable eating. Many times we eat things that increase the pain.” Therefore, it is important to know which foods should be consumed to avoid mouth ulcers. To help you out, we have put together a list of some foods that should be avoided when you have painful mouth ulcers.
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What can you eat when you have mouth ulcers?
Replace your morning tea with coconut water. Photo Credit: Unsplash
Most asked question. First, it’s important to figure out what your comfort food is. This can be any food that does not irritate your mouth. What is suggested is to eat soft and bland foods that are easy to swallow. Soups, curd, lentils and khichdi are some of the food items that you can include in your diet during this time. Apart from this, it is very important to have plenty of water. Water helps in reducing the burning sensation and also gives relief from the pain.
Can mouth ulcers be treated with home remedies?
In most cases, cold sores heal naturally without any treatment. However, it is always useful to know some effective home remedies that can help in speeding up the healing process. One of the simplest and most effective ways to treat mouth ulcers at home is by rinsing your mouth with salt water. Simply mix one tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle with it. The antibacterial properties of salt water can provide relief and reduce pain. If the mouth ulcers persist, it is recommended to seek medical advice from a doctor.
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Here is a list of 6 foods to avoid for mouth ulcers:
1. Spicy Food
Hot food can aggravate mouth ulcers by causing irritation and inflammation, especially if you have open sores. Spicy food can worsen the condition and can be extremely painful for the individual. It is better to stay away from red chillies, hot chutneys and dishes with heavy spices.
Consumption of chili should be avoided, as it can increase mouth ulcers. photo credit: iStock
2. Citrus Foods
Due to the presence of citric acid in citrus fruits, these foods are among the most frequent causes of mouth ulcers. Citrus fruits and vegetables, especially oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit, contain citric acid. These fruits can cause severe irritation to your mouth ulcers and sores.
3. Carbonated Drinks
Fizzy soda drinks are not for cold sores. Carbonated drinks contain acids that can irritate the soft tissues of your mouth and cause ulcers. Furthermore, the high sugar content in them can encourage the growth of germs that can lead to infection.
4. Caffeinated Tea
Coffee lovers especially need to watch their coffee intake if they have painful mouth ulcers. Since coffee is high in salicylates, it can irritate your gums and tongue. If you are a coffee addict, you may want to reconsider your options and try to limit your coffee intake.
Coffee lovers should reduce the intake of coffee. photo credit: iStock
5. Alcohol
Excessive consumption of alcohol has never benefited anyone. Alcohol dries out our mouth and can also damage the protective lining in our mouth. This can slow down the healing process, in addition to causing pain and swelling. Hence, avoiding alcohol at any cost would be the best option for your mouth ulcers to heal faster.
6. Extreme hot and cold food
Neither very hot food nor very cold food is suitable for mouth ulcers, as they are very sensitive. It is best to eat food at a mild temperature, which will not cause ulcers. Avoid eating ice cream, kulfi, very hot soup etc. Of course you can eat them after the mouth ulcers have healed.
In case of persistent mouth ulcers, it is advised to consult a doctor.