What is burnt alum
Burnt alum is a powdery substance that is obtained by heating a potassium-aluminum compound. After heat treatment, the substance is ground and sieved to isolate the hygroscopic powder. Burnt alum is white, odorless, and has a sour-astringent taste. Natural origin allows you to exclude perfume components, fragrances and artificially synthesized substances from the composition.
You can buy burnt alum in 50 g plastic jars. The instructions indicate that the product is intended for external use. It does not completely dissolve in water and tends to clump when left in the open air.
Manufacturers indicate only 100% crystalline powder of potassium alum in the composition.
How burnt alum works
When applied topically, the powder acts in several ways:
- relieves inflammation and disinfects;
- dries;
- relieves itching;
- prevents and eliminates unpleasant odors.
The substance does not irritate the skin at the site of application. After application, it forms a colloidal film that envelops the nerve endings. It relieves pain, itching and burning sensations, and discomfort from insect bites.
In what cases will burnt alum help?
According to the instructions for the drug, burnt alum is used in:
- combating excessive sweating. The ability to adsorb moisture and reduce the functioning of glands that secrete sweat and sebum is actively used by patients with hyperhidrosis. In addition, alum is able to disinfect areas with excessive sweating and get rid of bacteria and fungi that are sources of unpleasant odors; can be used as an antiperspirant;
- prevention of skin irritations, for treating minor scratches, including after using a razor;
- therapy of dermatological pathologies: dermatitis, diaper rash, eczema, neurodermatitis, fungal infections of the feet;
- gynecology and urology – for the treatment of vulvovaginitis, balanitis;
- dentistry - for the treatment of gingivitis, stomatitis;
- cosmetology - to narrow pores, increase elasticity, relieve inflammation. Added to powder or cream.
Burnt alum powder can be used to treat festering wounds and trophic ulcerations on the skin. As a result, the damaged surface of the skin will dry out and tighten, and bleeding will stop.
Alum for stomatitis in a child: how to use burnt alum, rosehip oil and aloe for mash
Stomatitis refers to a whole group of unpleasant ailments of the oral cavity of various origins: some of them are viral and fungal. They often develop as a consequence of fungal or viral diseases of the whole body, or due to poor oral hygiene.
The common symptoms are: ulcers in the mouth, redness of all mucous membranes, pain. Hyperemia of the mucous membranes and increased temperature may also be observed. For treatment, you need to improve your immunity and overall health, and also consult a dentist.
But folk remedies for stomatitis can also help. In what cases and what, read below.
In what cases is treatment with folk remedies possible?
The most effective folk remedies for the treatment of catarrhal stomatitis, which makes itself felt “thanks to” sensitive mucous membranes and dry mouth, as well as ulcers on the gums or tongue.
External factors are to blame (incorrectly installed dentures, smoking, injuries), so if the external cause is eliminated and herbal therapy is used, the unpleasant sensations will quickly disappear.
But for aphthous stomatitis, herpetic stomatitis and those caused by mycoses, specialized pharmaceutical products are needed. They are prescribed by a dentist, or better yet, a periodontist. However, they can be combined with folk ones.
Folk remedies are also appropriate if you are allergic to prescribed medications. They can also be used to treat stomatitis in young children. But do not forget that such products are also medicines, which means they require compliance with the dosage, experience, knowledge and consistency of use.
Oils
They are known for their antimicrobial effects, as well as their anesthetic and healing properties. You can use both essential oils and sea buckthorn. In some cases, olive and others are appropriate.
Rules for selecting oils and application
Essential oils are best used to stop inflammatory processes, and sea buckthorn oils are best used to heal ulcers after inflammation has subsided. They can be used either as a rinse or simply applied to ulcers and other lesions on the mucous membrane.
If there is no sea buckthorn oil, or you are intolerant, you can replace it with others: olive, peach, flaxseed or rosehip oil will do. Of course, they need to be applied to disinfected mucous membranes and not with your hands, but with a cotton swab. You can first wipe your mouth with dry cotton wool.
The best of the best
The following essential and vegetable oils are most effective:
- tea tree. Not only is it a good antiseptic, but it also dries and relieves pain in the mouth;
- lavender. It also dries and kills microbes, relieves inflammation, and has some fungicidal properties;
- eucalyptus. It has local irritating abilities, normalizes blood circulation in the mouth, relieves discomfort, fights bacteria;
- sea buckthorn oil for stomatitis. Heals any damage as it is rich in retinol.
For rinsing, you can use the following mixtures of oils:
- a drop of Roman chamomile, myrrh and eucalyptus oils, plus two drops of lavender and tea tree;
- a drop of lavender and eucalyptus, two drops of tea plus a teaspoon of baking soda.
Dissolve in half a glass of purified water. The water must be warm. We rinse 3-4 times a day. It's better to do this after a meal.
For applications, mix tea and lavender oils with vegetable oil (any kind), pour it onto a cotton swab and apply to the gum for a third of an hour.
Young children who do not yet know how to rinse their mouths can only apply oils to the sores in a small amount.
How to use burnt alum powder
The manufacturer prescribes the use of the drug, if indicated, externally as a powder; the frequency of administration is not limited.
Wounds and ulcers are treated with a solution of powder. To prepare, take ½ teaspoon of the substance and add to 200 ml of hot water. The composition is applied to the wound surfaces the required number of times; a gauze bandage may be applied.
When used simultaneously with other drugs, the powder does not react with them.
Recipes
A remedy to combat armpit sweating. To prevent the white powder from crumbling during application and to ensure that the composition gets directly onto the skin, it is better to prepare the composition:
- dissolve two teaspoons of burnt alum in 500 ml;
- add a few drops of essential oil with your favorite scent;
- pour the solution into a bottle equipped with a sprayer.
At first, the product must be used twice a day, then the composition can be applied to the armpit area once a day.
- For sweaty feet. In this case, dry alum is used. First you need to clean your feet with a pumice stone or a scraper. Then the surface is treated with alum. To enhance the effect, you can treat socks and shoes that are worn every day with alum. Already on the third day, sweat production decreases, cracks in the legs heal, and small wounds heal. To prevent the skin from drying out, the skin of the feet can be treated with cream.
- Face mask for enlarged pores. Ingredients you will need: one egg white, 5 grams of burnt alum powder, one teaspoon of almond or apricot oil. The protein must first be whipped into a foam, add other ingredients and mix. Apply to clean skin for half an hour. Then wash off with warm water.
Stomatitis is a cavity disease characterized by damage to the mucous membrane. With stomatitis, all signs of inflammation occur: pain and fever, redness, swelling, etc. Burnt alum for stomatitis is an excellent solution, we will tell you in the article.
Stomatitis: inflammatory process
The disease can manifest itself on the mucous membrane of any part of the oral cavity:
- gums and palate;
- lips, tongue and cheeks;
- vestibule of the oral cavity.
Stomatitis occurs in different forms. For example, these are pronounced ulcers in the oral cavity or redness of a separate area of the mucous membrane.
Why does stomatitis occur? As a rule, this most often happens with weakened immunity and chronic diseases. By the way, stomatitis is also a protective reaction of the human body to external irritants.
Recently, stomatitis occurs not only in children, but also in adults. Especially during the intensification of seasonal infections and ARVI.
Treatment with alum in dentistry
In therapeutic therapy for stomatitis, drugs with a wide spectrum of action are used. Doctors are increasingly recommending anti-inflammatory disinfectants, for example, burnt alum for stomatitis - a popular drug available in almost every pharmacy.
How burnt alum looks and works
The consistency of this product is powder (white and odorless). Its main active ingredients are heat-treated aluminum-potassium alum.
The range of application of the drug is quite wide. Treatment with burnt alum is constantly used in dentistry, dermatology, cosmetology, etc. The powder has several effects at once:
- relieves pain and inflammation;
- fights germs and destroys them;
- cauterizes the ulcer;
- stops bleeding.
Burnt alum for stomatitis
Dentistry uses burnt alum for periodontitis, gingivitis and, of course, stomatitis. For example, alum in flux quickly relieves dental swelling. Alum shows high effectiveness in the treatment of hyperhidrosis and increased sweating. By the way, they help with skin irritation, small cuts and wounds. It is worth noting that alum in cosmetic products narrows pores and increases skin elasticity.
Upon contact with the mucous membrane of the cavity, a protective film is formed - it reduces the level of exposure to third-party irritants. Alum fights swelling, germs and cauterizes the wound formed in the mouth.
Using the drug
A mouthwash is prepared from a powder of burnt alum. Fill a mug with boiled water (or any non-metallic container) and add half a teaspoon of the product. Then stir the solution thoroughly. Firstly, its consistency should be slightly viscous. Secondly, the taste is sour. Rinsing the mouth should take at least 1-2 minutes. This procedure is carried out 5-7 times a day. However, the liquid must be shaken before each rinse.
The solution can be given to children with stomatitis, but this remedy should be used in a slightly different way: rub it into the child’s mouth with a cotton pad 3-4 times a day (the liquid should not be swallowed). Do not infuse the solution - use immediately after preparation. Before the procedure, of course, you need to thoroughly wash and dry your hands.
It is worth noting that you can drink water and eat food after half an hour.
Contraindications
There are absolutely no contraindications to the use of alum, as well as cases of drug overdose. It is worth noting that the medicine does not cause side effects.
However, you should stop using the product if an allergy occurs (due to the body's individual intolerance to certain components of the powder). An allergic reaction manifests itself in redness and rash, a burning sensation in the area of the skin where the drug was applied.
Reviews
According to customer reviews, burnt alum works well in treating skin problems, including complex wounds with suppuration and trophic ulcers.
However, the powder is mainly used in the fight against sweating and its consequences; it is applied instead of deodorant to the armpits, on the feet and palms, and in shoes to prevent unpleasant odors. The downside is that it stains clothes when applied.
Some buyers note that alum does not help overcome excessive sweating, but an unpleasant odor does not appear after application.
How to use burnt alum for stomatitis
Instructions
Burnt alum is a derivative product from ordinary potassium-aluminum alum. They are heated to 160°C and half of the original volume of raw materials is evaporated. The remaining alum is ground into powder, obtaining a crystalline, odorless, absorbent product.
Burnt alum has antibacterial, drying, cauterizing, enveloping and hemostatic properties. In addition, the product relieves itching, which is important for stomatitis.
How does burnt alum work for stomatitis? Their effectiveness is due to the ability to form albuminates on the surface of ulcers - colloidal films that “freeze” the nerve endings. As a result, the pain subsides, itching and burning go away. Alum can be applied directly to oozing areas, as it stops bleeding, drying and tightening the edges of the wounds. In the initial stages, treatment of stomatitis with burnt alum is good because it stops ulcers, preventing the disease from developing. Therefore, it is recommended to apply alum locally to wounds so as not to spread the infection throughout the entire oral cavity. In addition, the spot application of alum on aphthae promotes their speedy healing and rapid reduction of pain.
For complex treatment, you can combine local lotions and rinses. Just first you need to treat all the wounds, and then, when the foci of infection are disinfected, rinse the entire oral cavity.
For spot treatment of ulcers, dry alum is needed. They are used as regular powder. You just need to take a little powder with the tip of a clean finger and apply it to the canker sores.
To prepare the solution, you need to take 200 ml of boiled water at room temperature and 4-5 g of burnt alum. Stir until the crystals are completely dissolved. Then taste the solution - it should resemble water acidified with lemon, and at the same time be very tart and astringent. Store for no more than two days in a cool, dark place, but not in the refrigerator.
Use burnt alum for stomatitis as a rinse every two to three hours. Pre-treat the sores locally. Stir the solution before use.
If it is difficult to combine the treatment of stomatitis in a small child by spot treatment and rinsing, you can treat his wounds with a concentrated solution. For 200 ml of water, take not 5, but 10 g of alum. Apply the solution to cotton pads and wipe the inside of the palate and cheeks.
Sources:
- The use of burnt alum for stomatitis