I suffer from mouth ulcers and so does my 7yr old daughter. I wondered if there was any evidence of there being any foods that one should be eating which would in turn help the gut perhaps to prevent mouth ulcers from happening in the first place ! Maybe it’s just a dream but if anyone has any comment/advice please do get in contact.

Ulcers are essentially damage to the mouth tissue, permitting bacteria in the mouth and/ or enzymes in the saliva to do further damage.

A weakened immune system, dental care practices (too little or too rough) and dental care products may contribute.

Product-wise try eliminating drying alcohol (often in mouthwash), anionic/ sulphate surfactants (‘foaming’ element in many toothpastes), essential oils and their components (strong minty flavours, tea tree).

Diet and lifestyle choices absolutely impact immune function and the health of all tissues, as does the gut microbiome. But, because the interplay is so complex and the field so new, there are few proven cause-effect relationships between dysbiosis and specific health problems.

Clever Guts emphasises a nutrient dense, balanced and varied wholefood diet, which will optimise your family’s health including your oral/ dental health.

Whatever the changes in your gut microbiome, your dentist will approve if you eliminate sugars and refined carbs, and increase sources of vitamim D, calcium and magnesium.

What changes should be made to your family’s current diet to make it properly balanced and very varied depends where you are at present.

Complete and analyse a detailed food and symptom diary (p.187) for each person: every sip and mouthful, all weighed and measured. Obviously monitoring your seven year old’s diet will be easier during the holidays/ vacation than in the school term/ semester!

I had very bad mouth ulcers with chemotherapy some years ago and had great success with Propolis liquid. Its a black fluid from bees. I got the liquid from the health food shop and applied it directly to ulcers. Its messy but u can feel the ulcer closing the moment u put it on. God luck

I agree – if your microbiome is disrupted then it affects the lining of the mouth and the rest of the gut. So the clever guts diet should help. I tend to recommend a high dose vit d plus vit c which works for a lot of people. Ask your local pharmacist..

Thank you so much to everyone who has responded. I am replacing my toothpaste and buying the Propolis liquid as a start.
Many thanks again

Also think about your toothbrush: a small head is less likely to score your gums and don’t use too much force!