Q. When I get a canker sore I use the gel from an aloe vera leaf directly on the sore. I keep a plant all the time because it's so helpful.
A. Aloe vera gel has a long history for healing cuts and burns, though scientific data proving effectiveness are slim.
A small study on a licorice-containing patch that sticks on canker sores suggests that the sores get smaller and heal faster than untreated aphthous ulcers. The patch goes under the brand name Cankermelt.
