Mouth ulcers are also called canker sores and appear in the mouth as painful lesions under your tongue, on the insides of your cheeks and at the base of the gums. Most mouth ulcers cause a tingling or burning sensation a few days before they occur. Mouth ulcers also can appear with other symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes and listlessness. Mouth ulcers can last for days to months and can be caused by many different conditions such as allergies, stress and mouth injury, but the exact cause is not completely known.

Oral Medications

There are many medications that are not specifically intended for the treatment of canker sores but work well to relieve symptoms, such as Tagamet. Oral steroids, such as Prednisone, can also be prescribed to treat mouth ulcers when other treatments have failed. Steroid treatment involves many side effects and are not considered a safe long-term treatment so they are usually used as a last resort. Debacterol is an oral medication that chemically cauterizes the lesions and usually heals the sores within a week. Topical pastes that are available through prescription and over-the-counter can be applied as soon as an ulcer appears to relieve pain and speed healing.

Mouth Rinses

Milk of Magnesia can be used as a mouth rinse to coat the sores and provide a cooling instant relief. Make a mouth rinse of two ounces of hydrogen peroxide, two ounces of water and one teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Rinse the mouth several times per day with this solution but do not swallow. This is said to be one of the most effective home remedies for treating mouth ulcers. Your physician can prescribe a mouth rinse that contains the steroid dexamethasone to reduce pain and inflammation. This rinse can cause thrush and can permanently discolor the teeth if used too long.

Alternative Treatments

Antacids can help relieve the acidity in the mouth, which helps to ease the pain of a mouth ulcer. Mix one teaspoon of Indian gooseberry bark and honey. Apply this paste directly to the infected areas several times per day to help speed healing. Gargle one teaspoon of coriander seeds with a cup of water or alternate gargling cups of hot and cold water. You can also drink sage tea several times per day to help healing or apply a tea bag directly to the sore to bring down the swelling and provide instant relief.