Okay, so maybe sprinkles won't exactly do the trick, but when it comes to unsightly, painful and just downright annoying canker sores of the mouth, they're not too far off. Kitchen cabinets just might hold the key - or the spice rack anyhow - to a natural treatment for home remedying these oral interruptions.

While canker sores generally take 7-10 days to heal, a dash of this and a pinch of that can help cut that time down significantly. Test out one or all of these spices until you find the one that makes magic in your mouth. But if canker sores are a recurring phenomenon in your life, consider the source (perhaps some sort of food allergy...) by consulting a professional.

Salt

Start with the gargle. Mix 3 tablespoons of salt (himalayan pink salt if you have it) in a cup of warm water. Gargle it a few times each day to suck out the fluid from the sore and speed up your healing. 

Sage

Sage has powerful drying and astringent powers that can shrink your canker. Make your own mouthwash by brewing some sage tea or apply a little powdered sage to alleviate your sore.

Alum

If your canker sore is particularly painful, dab it with a little alum for a few seconds and then rinse with water a few times. In the short run it'll probably burn like hell, but then you'll be left with far less pain and a quickly-clearing canker. 

Sorrel

Sorrel also has antiseptic properties. You can place a fresh piece of this bitter herb on the sore until it becomes soggy a couple times daily. The pain will subside as your healing hustles up.

Take your medicinal kitchen experiment even further: Your cabinets are bursting with the cures to many common ailments like nausea, constipation, gas and bloating. Check out these Ancient Healing Treatments you'll have no problem conjuring up with culinary staples. 

image: eye.contact!