Avoid Canker Sores with Vitamin B12

Canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers, can be pretty painful and annoying especially if you are someone who gets them often. It is estimated canker sores affect at least one in five Americans. Canker sores are not related to the cold sores which appear as small outbreaks on the outside of the mouth. There is no known direct cause of canker sores but it is thought they are triggered by some type of immune response, hormones swings, stress, vitamin deficiency, spicy food, allergies or are genetically determined.

Researchers at Ben Gurion University have discovered that nightly doses of vitamin B12 could be an effective, safe way to diminish the occurrence of canker sores. While as many as 25% of the population is thought to suffer with canker sores, some research also indicates that the recurrence rate can be as high as 50%. In the past, various topical home remedies and oral medications have been available but they only treat the canker sore after it appears, not prevent an outbreak.

The researchers tested their vitamin B12 treatment on 58 patients who have reoccurring canker sores. The group was divided so that one group was given 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 each night and the other group was given a placebo (the control group). The groups were tested monthly for 6 months.

During the first four months of the study the two groups did not differ significantly but in the fifth and sixth month, the group that took the vitamin B12 had a reduction in their occurrence of canker sores of 74% while the placebo group only dropped 32%. That means the Vitamin B12 group had an improvement of over twice the amount of the placebo group. The vitamin B12 group felt they had less pain, fewer ulcers and shorter outbreaks. Conversely, the placebo group felt that their pain increased in the last 3 months of the study.

Why did it take four months to achieve this change? The researchers discussed that the dose of vitamin B12 was not a particularly high oral dose and that other patients they worked with before this study were given vitamin B12 as injections and they showed a faster response.

If canker sores erupt despite vitamin B12 supplementation, a recent unrelated dental study showed that licorice root herbal extract applied to the canker sores using an over the counter adhesive patch was effective. After seven days, the group using the patch had a significant decrease in size of their ulcers while the untreated group had a 13% increase in their ulcer size. Licorice extract typically has a strong flavor but when combined with a time release patch the taste is more mild and acceptable.

A six month trial of vitamin B12 nightly to reduce the incidence of recurrent canker sores sounds like a worthwhile, safe, over the counter attempt to combat this painful chronic condition. For those canker sores that do erupt, using licorice root extract might give just give enough relief to help until the ulcer heals.

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (2009, February 15). Vitamin B12 identified As An Effective Canker Sore Therapy, Study Suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2009/02/090210092732.htm

Academy of General Dentistry (2008, May 24). Licorice Extract Provides New Treatment Option For Canker Sores. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/05/080522154850.htm