Stomatitis refers to a painful condition where the mucous membrane lining the mouth gets inflamed. There may be formation of ulcers on the gums and the mouth and in between the teeth. Numerous germs are present in these ulcers. This disease is quite common both in children and adults as simple ulcers in the mouth come and go spontaneously.
Due to stomatitis there is intense pain in the mouth and as a result a person feels very difficult to eat or chew something. He has to go without food at times altogether and spare on liquid foods which he gulps down with difficulty. There is also a feeling of difficulty and pain while talking. Other symptoms of stomatitis are bright red mouth, excessive salivation, coated tongue, irritability, reduced appetite and bad breath. The patient may also suffer from constipation and mild fever.
There are varieties of factors responsible for causing stomatitis. The most important among them are indigestion and improper functioning of the stomach. Other factors include nutritional deficiencies and lack of proper oral hygiene.
Nature Cure for Stomatitis: The treatment for stomatitis should firstly aim at improving the digestive system as this disease is more connected with the toxic condition of the system. Application of gels and salves in the mouth will only suppress the disease.
To begin with the patient should be given plain water and orange juice for about four days. The procedure is to take the juice of orange diluted with water in equal proportion every two hours during the day. Carrot juice can also be used for this purpose if orange juice is not available. A warm water enema should be administered daily during this period for cleansing the bowels. If the patient is a child, a glycerin suppository may be applied in such a case.
The patient should thereafter switch to an exclusive diet of fresh fruits for further four days. During this period three meals of fresh juicy fruits such as orange, grapes, pears, apples, pineapples, grapefruit, papaya and peach should be taken by the patient.
After the all fruit diet the patient may gradually embark upon a well balanced diet consisting of nuts, grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables. More emphasis should be placed on whole grain cereals, sprouted seeds, lightly cooked vegetables and fresh fruits.
Foods such as tea, coffee, white flour products, refined and processed foods, meats, soft drinks, candies, ice creams, condiments and pickles should be avoided by a patient suffering from stomatitis.
Certain home remedies have also been found effective in the treatment of stomatitis. One such remedy is the use of lemon. A tablespoon of lemon juice taken daily before meals helps in correcting the functioning of the stomach and cures the condition. The patient should also gargle several times daily with a mixture of water and lemon juice. This gargle can be prepared by mixing about 20ml of lemon juice with 100ml of lukewarm water.
Frequent use of mouthwash containing a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt in a glass of lukewarm water is another useful home remedy for stomatitis. This should be used five to six times during the day at equal intervals.
Use of alum is also beneficial in the treatment of mouth ulcers. A gargle prepared by diluting alum in lukewarm water should be used by the patient. Concentrated solution of alum should also be applied externally over the ulcers with the help of a swab.
Above all maintenance of proper oral hygiene is very important in the treatment of stomatitis. The patient should brush his gums and teeth carefully so as to remove any material accumulated between the crevices of teeth and gums. He should also take a proper diet rich in vitamins and also B complex supplements.
Thus we can say that natural and home remedies have been found to be very valuable in the treatment and cure of diseases such as stomatitis and improvement of proper oral hygiene.
