Mahes Visvalingam
Post-retirement postingsPlease note that this site is under construction.
Some Experiences with Natural Medicine
and related observations
Mouth Ulcers : Propolis TinctureFrom before 1999 to present:
Many years ago I had a severe crop of mouth ulcers over the summer and the doctor suggested the usual off-the-counter branded palliatives which did not help. I went to the local health shop and they initially suggested Tincture of Myrrh. This did not help me although others have found it helpful. I decided to try Propolis Tincture, produced by bee keepers. Before going to bed, I dripped some onto the palm of my hand and rubbed it on the ulcers with my finger; very little is needed. The ulcers had almost healed by the next morning and I was pain free. My husband and I have since used it to heal mouth ulcers and accidental biting of the tongue and cheek.
Well, none of us have been poisoned by Propolis although a bee keeper did warn me that raw undiluted propolis extracted from the hive could burn sensitive skin. I gave my original bottle to a friend and bought a replacement bottle with a sell-by date of Sep 1999. The Propolis Liquid (Propolis and Propylene, 50% dilution) produced by Sneatondale Honey Farms, is still effective and is more than three-quarters full because I have been noting potential triggers (listed below) and avoiding them as much as possible.
food. My new dentist noted on X-rays that the roots of my molars were 'waisted' at the gum line due to erosion by acid from bacteria in plaque. I had been brushing my teeth diligently after every meal, but I was not able to use dental floss because my teeth are closely packed. He suggested that I use what looks like a little bottle brush on a holder to poke out food through the gaps at the gum line. It has cut down gum inflammation around fillings. Two different dentists have now confirmed my observation that residues of pork seem to cause more problems than other meat.
preservatives and other additives. These not only caused mouth ulcers but also caused a syndrome of other gastro-intestinal and urinary complaints. I can tolerate Sodium Metasulphide but Sodium Benzoate has been a definite no-no!! We seldom eat cured or cold meat products these days. The consumption of the stock, in which ham is boiled at home, in soups resulted in urinary incontinence. All these problems have disappeared since I stopped buying these products. We still eat these when we are served these by others. I often get a reaction, but the body soon recovers.
black pepper and some other spices and condiments. Pepper is widely used in Asian homes and I don't recall having had any problems with it until I was in my 40s. I wonder if this might be due to the use of pesticides and other chemicals in farming, processing and packaging. Equally, other food may be causing allergic inflammations, which are being exacerbated by pepper. I will observe progress and report.
fruit. I used to feel cheated that I could not tolerate a lot of summer fruit (such as cherries, strawberries, peaches and so on). I now enjoy them in moderation, knowing that there is a cure for mouth ulcers, should I need it. But, summer fruit can also upset the digestive system. Again, I wonder whether this is due to the fruit itself or the methods of growing and packaging them. Over the last 3 years we have used biolive yoghurt instead of dairy cream with fruit and I have not had any problems. This is still so at the last update.
Most people I know only use Propolis for ulcers but an elderly lady told me that it had made the wearing of her new dentures bearable.
Propolis did not help ....
I recently got to know a lady who suffers from scleroderma and lupus. She had a severe bout of mouth ulcers from November 2005 until February 2006 and had tried everything that had been suggested. I mentioned that I use Propolis Tincture. When I saw her a fortnight later, she said that she had not been able to get the tincture but that she had got some Propolis sweets (I dont know anything about these). Her ulcers were nearly gone (just one left) but she thought that they may have been going anyway. When I checked in Jun 2006, her ulcers were still a continuing problem connected with the Lupus. Neither the Propolis sweets nor the tincture had helped. The only thing which seems to help the healing process is a steroid paste which she has to apply.
While Propolis does clear inflammation of the gums caused by knocks and scratches and allergies, it only soothes inflammation caused by food stuck between teeth (ask your dentist about the little brushes for poking them out) and by tooth decay (which needs dental attention).
You can log your experiences of Propolis for Mouth Ulcers at this site. Please click here for relevant information on Community Server.
UPDATES
Feb 2007: See Comment by Suhaimi in my blog Propolis for Mouth Ulcers in case you are allergic to Propolis. She/he has provided an informative link.
Mar 2007: Found an excellent book by Fearnley (2001) which reviews research on the effectiveness of Propolis for various ailments, including mouth ulcers. He notes that 1 in 1000 people may be allergic to external (but not internal) use of Propolis. He also has a chapter on making your own medicinal preparations from raw Propolis.
Dec 2007: Found an interesting article at:http://intelegen.com/ImmuneSystem/propolis_a_remarkable.htm
But note some other possible allergic reactions in a few people mentioned at:
http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v200/n7/full/4813435a.html
© Mahes Visvalingam, 17 Jun 2006
Last updated on 13/01/10