11 Supplements for Menopause Powerhouse Fruits and Veggies Vitamin Overload: Can It Hurt You? About Sleep Herbs and Supplements St. John's Wort for Depression Quiz: What Do You Know About Vitamin B12 Deficiency? Vitamins and Supplements: The FactsThe B-vitamin group consists of eight substances that all play important roles in cellular metabolism and other vital processes. B vitamins are water-soluble and excreted in the urine when in excess, making it necessary to replenish them regularly. Lack of certain B vitamins can precipitate mouth sores or cause skin irritation in and around the mouth. Mouth sores have many causes, but taking certain B vitamins can prevent or alleviate some types. Mouth sores, or canker sores, are small painful ulcers inside the mouth. They usually have an inflamed, red border and may occur on the tongue, inside the cheeks or lips, and on the floor of the mouth. Canker sores are not contagious, which is in contrast to “cold sores” of the outer lips caused by the herpes-simplex virus.
According to “Professional Guide to Diseases,” about 80 percent of mouth ulcers are small canker sores, whereas less than 10 percent are cold sores. Canker sores have multiple causes, such as trauma from chewing food or brushing teeth, weak immunity, excessive stress, hormonal changes and vitamin deficiencies. Most mouth sores usually take one to two weeks to heal, unless a vitamin deficiency is involved. Some people who experience recurrent canker sores have been found to be deficient in vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin. According to “Human Biochemistry and Disease,” normal blood levels of cobalamin range from 200 to 600 picograms per milliter for adults. Well-known symptoms of deficiency include pernicious anemia, which is characterized by immature red blood cells, and neurological issues similar to Alzheimer's disease, but recurrent canker sores occur as well. According to a study published in a 2009 edition of “The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine,” researchers discovered that a nightly 1,000 microgram dose of vitamin B-12 is a simple, effective and low risk therapy to prevent recurrent canker sores.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is more common in men and women over 50, as the stomach begins to produce less acid and nutrients are not as easily absorbed, according to Harvard Medical School. Vitamin B-2, or riboflavin, is essential for normal growth, repair and development of body tissues, including the skin, connective tissue, mucous membranes and the immune and nervous systems. The recommended daily allowance for B-2 ranges from 0.3 milligrams for infants less than 6 months old, to 1.6 milligrams for lactating females, according to “Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health.” Deficiency causes ariboflavinosis, which manifests as lesions of the skin, especially in the corners of the mouth, and a red, sore tongue. Lack of B-2 doesn’t lead to cankers, but it does result in mouth soreness from an inflamed tongue and cracks and fissures within the lips. Vitamin B-7, or biotin, is necessary for cellular growth, the production of fatty acids and the metabolism of amino acids.
The recommended daily allowance for B-7 ranges from 5 micrograms in infants less than 6 months old to 35 micrograms for lactating females. According to “Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care,” deficiency is not common, but it can lead to symptoms in the hair, fingernails and skin, especially rashes near or around the mouth. These characteristic rashes are flaky but can become sore and inflamed over time. Vitamin B for a Burning Mouth B-12 Deficiency & Burning Feet Burning Feet & B Vitamins How Much Is Too Much Vitamin B Complex? How Much Vitamin B Complex Should a Person Take in a Day? What Are the Benefits of B Complex Capsules? Vitamin B-12 & Nerve Regeneration What Is the Primary Role of B-Complex Vitamins? B-Complex Vitamin Benefits & Side Effects Foods That Are High in B Vitamins Sore Mouth & Vitamin B12 Exercises for Neuropathy of the Feet List of B-Complex Vitamins Vitamins That Can Help Cure Ulcers Vitamin B Complex Deficiency Symptoms
Canker Sores and Vitamin Deficiencies B Vitamin Overdose Symptoms Chapped Lips and Vitamin Deficiencies Folic Acid Deficiency and Sore Tongueby JANE CLARKE, You magazine, Mail on Sunday, November 24, 2002Why is it that a mouth ulcer always feels enormous, yet when you peer at it in the mirror it turns out to be not much larger than a pinprick, albeit a thousand times more painful? The trouble is, so many things can cause canker sores (the technical term for mouth ulcers) that it can be difficult to pinpoint (sorry!) exactly why they've taken up residence in your mouth. Before talking about the foods that can both lead to and alleviate mouth ulcers, I should mention that there is a frequently overlooked cause: toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS).This is a foaming agent that is thought to wear away the mucin-containing mucus membrane, the protective layer that safeguards the gums, tongue and, in fact, everything inside the mouth. So if you are plagued by mouth ulcers, it may be worth avoiding toothpastes labelled as containing SLS and visiting your health-food store for a non-foaming alternative.
There are a few factors to consider when it comes to warding off mouth ulcers. Firstly, have you been forcing your body to endure too many convenience foods, which are low in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, skipping meals or skimping on the fruits and vegetables? All of these habits deprive your body of the antioxidant nutrients found in fresh plant produce, thereby weakening the mucin in your mouth. Along with eating badly, heavy periods can deplete your body's iron stores and expose it to mouth ulcers, so it may help to boost your intake of iron-rich foods, such as green, leafy vegetables, pulses, meat and dried fruits. And if you're suffering from other iron-deficiency symptoms, including feeling exhausted, fed up, pale and breathless, ask your doctor for a blood test to ascertain your iron status. There can sometimes be a more serious reason for developing mouth ulcers, notably coeliac disease, an allergic condition that more commonly causes ulcers to develop in the intestines, resulting in digestive problems, although I have seen people with few digestive symptoms whose condition is betrayed by a mouth full of ulcers.
If you are diagnosed with coeliac disease, you'll need to avoid gluten (the protein found in wheat and many other cereal products), the good news being that as soon as you do, your body will return to its normal, ulcer-free self. (Contact the Coeliac Society for details of gluten-free foods and products). Other foods that can trigger an allergic reaction in the form of mouth ulcers include strawberries, tomatoes, dairy products, oranges and even Marmite, and if you suspect that any of these may be the source of your misery, keep a food-and-symptom diary for a few weeks to see if it confirms your suspicions before consulting a doctor or dietician for advice. When your mouth does flare up, the first thing to reach for is something of a mouthful in itself: diglcyrrhirisinated liquorice (DGL, available from health-food stores), which, by increasing the production of mucin, both soothes the ulcer and helps it to heal more quickly. Alternatively, break open a vitamin E capsule and gently dab the contents onto the ulcer or else rub a little set honey, a crushed sage leaf or a peeled garlic clove - all natural antiseptics - over the sore.
If raw garlic doesn't appeal, try switching to garlic-rich dishes, along with soft, non-acidic foods, such as my omelette, mashed potatoes, soufflés or mild, sauce-based foods like spaghetti carbonara, but avoid such acidic foods as citrus fruits, tomatoes, vinegars, pickles and ketchup while you're waiting for the ulcer to clear up. Having a daily pot of natural live yoghurt containing lactobacillus, acidophilus or bifida bacteria can speed your recovery, too, while some of my patients have found cranberry juice (which is especially soothing when combined with ice cubes) a useful ally when they're feeling run down, overly stressed or otherwise vulnerable to a mouth-ulcer attack.50g freshly grated Parmesan cheeseBeat the eggs in a bowl until the yolks and whites are blended. Add the salt, pepper and grated Parmesan and beat lightly with the eggs. Melt the butter in a frying pan (about a 12 inch one), over a medium heat until the butter starts to foam, but don't allow it to burn. At this point add the egg mixture and turn down the heat until it's as low as possible.