It isn’t often that your pediatrician gives you a prescription for ‘magic’ medicine. Especially for something as common as a sore throat. I thought I had heard everything… and tried it, too. Aside from wondering if our doctor was crazy, I couldn’t imagine that I’ve had this “remedy” in my medicine cabinet my whole life – right under my nose – and have never heard of it. Just think of all those miserable sore throats that went untreated. The shame of it!
I have to admit, I was skeptical that a “Magic Mouthwash” would help make a wicked sore throat more tolerable – even numb. However, the doctor insisted that it would
help, and my daughter was suffering. I figured trying it wouldn’t hurt. When you or your kids are in that much pain, you’ll try anything.
She told us to mix 1 part Maalox, 1 part Children’s Benedryl and gargle with the solution. I thought I had both on hand, so I didn’t buy any Maalox. When I got home, I discovered that I only had Milk of Magnesia. Lucky for me that the active ingredient in Milk of Magnesia is actually the same one that works in Maalox – there’s just a little more of it.
After researching online about the “Magic” mixture (still uncertain), I discovered that there are many different recipes for the mouthwash. The usual concoction contains diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in Children’s Benedryl) for pain relief, and an antacid for coating the mouth and throat. Some even have anti-fungal or corticosteroids to prevent secondary infections (such as Hydrocortisone, or Tetracycline). If you try something with a prescription medicine, be sure to clear it through your doctor, though… and beware – the Tetracycline caused complaints of stained teeth.
I read through all of the comments and recipes I found on a mouth ulcer website that was supposedly written by a pharmacist, and found that the recipe my doctor gave me was the least strong of the bunch. Many of the people commenting said that the doctor even told them that the child could drink part or all of the brew after swishing with it. Since Morgan had taken a Zyrtec and I wasn’t sure how two antihistamines would work in her system, I only let her swallow a tiny bit of it so that the very base of her throat would be coated (usually where the pain is the worst).
Before she took it, I had her drink 8 oz of water (required by the medication if you drink it), and had her gargle with hot salt water to clean and comfort her throat. She protested, but was thankful I made her do it – saying that it really felt good (a huge thing for someone who couldn’t sleep because of throat pain). Then I mixed the “Magic Mouthwash” and let her gargle most of it and drink the last swig.
She complained after she did it that it made her tongue numb and her throat was stinging, tingling, and more painful. We thought maybe the ‘magic’ mouthwash was just a snake-oil hoax. However, within five minutes, she could hardly feel her throat … which gave her the peace she needed to get uninterrupted sleep… and let her throat have time to heal. This morning she said she only has a scratchy throat and feels a lot better. The pain is gone.
Who knew?
I tried the stuff on myself this morning since I awoke with a scratchy throat again (the oak pollen around here is thick enough to cut with a knife). I wasn’t thrilled with the taste of the stuff (Cherry flavored kid medicine has always grossed me out), but the Milk of Magnesia really makes the flavor more mild. Morgan says it almost tastes like ‘bubble gum’, but I didn’t think so. I can say this: after a few minutes, I was GLAD I used it!
Here’s the recipe for our Magic Mouthwash:
1 Part Milk of Magnesia (2 tsp – for her weight and age. She could have swallowed up to 1 tablespoon of this, but to create the mixture we only needed 2 teaspoons.)
1 Part Children’s Benedryl (2 tsp – for her weight and age. This was the maximum dosage she could have swallowed if she hadn’t taken a Zyrtec.)
1 Part (or a little less) of water (1.5 tsp – to make it easier to stir and mix)
I guess it lives up to it’s name. I think having your sore throat eased really is magic. I sure wish I had known about it a long time ago. These over the counter remedies are always around in my house. Now that we know how to make it, we’ll be saving ourselves a lot of money on throat spray and cough drops.
Note: I’m not a doctor and you should always check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any medication or giving it to your children. Please be careful!
UPDATE:
Since you guys love this post so much, and it has helped so many throats – here’s a few highlights and additional info from the comments section (to prevent you from feeling the need to read over a hundred responses):
1. There are lots of recipes for “magic” mouthwash. The prescription ones include other ingredients like lidocaine, dexamethasone or nystatin. YES they might work for some even better than this simple recipe, but these harsh drugs can’t be swallowed by children under 6, and a few who commented said that they didn’t work at all – while this cheap version did. I say why not try the cheap version first? It couldn’t hurt. If it doesn’t work for you, then go to your doctor and ask for a prescription for the kind with narcotics.
2. Mylanta or Maalox was the original ingredient instead of Milk of Magnesia. However they are in a product recall or remix or something right now and it is really hard to find. Milk of Magnesia is a laxative and has MORE of the active ingredient that Mylanta has in it. Be careful with it and don’t swallow if you can help it. If you are going to swallow it, ask your doctor for the recommended dose for your child based on her/his age or weight. I would not give this medicine to a child who can’t spit things out on command (under 4 especially). We don’t use toothpaste with my little ones until they are 4, either… because I don’t want them ingesting fluoride.
3. Another reader said that their family tries warm salt water gargle first, then they use aspirin – dissolved in water to coat the throat. For an older child over 12 or adult, this sound good, but I’m not sure children can have aspirin (read your bottle and check with your doctor). Someone else suggested baking soda on mouth sores – just a dab before bed, and no eating or drinking after.
4. One reader suggested using this mix for sores or burns in the mouth (great idea). I tried it again on myself recently for a sore I got from jabbing the toothbrush on my lower gum accidentally which got infected. It did offer relief temporarily. Interestingly, I found even more relief the next day by swishing with COCONUT OIL. It’s all the rage these days after a model says she drinks it in her green tea to help stay thin and beautiful. It has been found to be beneficial orally, so I swish with it sometimes and drink some in my tea from time to time (makes the taste of green tea less bitter). This morning I swished with it because of the infection on that painful spot on my gum where I scraped it with the toothbrush and it has offered more lasting pain relief than the magic mouthwash did. I’m curious about possibly using it next time we get a sore throat, too — you never know, it might actually help and can’t hurt you if you swallow it – no matter how old you are!
I love coconut oil – and it is an awesome natural fat that has amazing health benefits, so I became a Tropical Traditions affiliate. I use their brand. If you want to purchase some, I’d love it if you use my link.
5. My pedi gave me another recipe recently with added ingredients I hadn’t used before after she came down with an awful sore throat she had for days caused by an adenovirus that was affecting only one side of her throat. He said he had seen lots of people in the area with the same presenting symptoms. For OLDER KIDS ONLY (My daughter is now an adult at 19 in 2018 – so this is a recent addition to the post):
800 MG IBP/2 Alieve 500 Naproxin – every 6 hrs… and gargle with…
Magic Throat Med: 30ml benedryl, 30 ml Maalox, 10ml lydocaine (1 tube adult orajel)… 1/2 tsp every 2-4 hours (spitting it out, but not to worry if you swallow some)
AGAIN: BE SURE YOU ARE CAREFUL AND ONLY USE THIS IF YOU ARE AN ADULT UNDER DOCTOR SUPERVISION. THIS RECIPE IS NOT FOR KIDS, ESPECIALLY NOT LITTLE ONES UNDER THE AGE OF 6.
I am super fortunate that my two youngest kids never get sick. (I am knocking on wood as I type) We homeschool so they aren't around other little kids germs all day. I think that has alot to do with it. But if they ever do complain of a sore throat I will definitely try this because almost all over the counter sore throat remedies don't really work. Sucrets work for a few seconds, the spray works for half a minute, then pain again. SO thanks for the post.
“magic mouthwash” that I see prescribed is usually a 1:1:1 compound mixture of 1.diphenhydramine liquid 2.milk of magnesia AND 3. lidocine 2%
The lidocaine is the important ingreident that helps with the numbing process but requires an rx in the usa.
yes, I have heard that the prescription for this has lidocaine, but this actually worked for our purposes, and further down in the comments, you will find that actually, this mixture worked for some people that the lidocaine did not work for. Plus – this is way less expensive. 😉 I would try this first for sure!
It has Mylanta, not Milk of Mag. Milk of Mag is a laxative.
The Milk of Mag works. You can’t find Mylanta right now. I had to buy the Milk of Mag last night at Walgreens. I just don’t swallow it.
How often do you do this?
Honestly, we use coconut oil more often than this because it seems to help heal up the mouth sores and sore throats faster. I think you should read the “swallowing” instructions on the medicine to make sure you don’t do it more often than it can be swallowed – especially with little ones. If you are spitting it out, maybe more often. Check with your pharmacist or doctor if you aren’t sure.
Many many years ago…(Im 54 now and this was when I was in 8th grade) I had so many mouth ulcers…it was around exam time and I got very nervous. Mom took me to dentist and I think he counted 9 ulcers. I was in so much pain,,couldnt eat or even talk well…He prescribed Milk of Mag way back then..To swish around in my mouth while I counted (in my mind of course, not out loud LOL) to 60..then spit out. The pain stopped instantly. The ulcers were gone in 3 days. Completely gone. This remedy has been around a long time…sometimes those old wives tales remedies really work better than modern medicine. I swear by this. Also, not related to mouth problems, but re: Milk of Mag…this can be a wonderful product…This is true….My grandmother was bedridden for almost 2 years before she passed….She never had a bed sore or even a hint of broiken down skin…Her doctor (who was very eldery at that time) said for us to wash her back side down with Neutragema (sp?) soap and dry well, then rub a coat of Milk of Mag on..let dry and it looks like a chalky film on her back…then she can lay back down…works I promise…I applied it to her many times. Just another use for those who might be in need of this kind of info.
My peditrician told me to put a cap full on my babies bottom and in her diaper when she had really bad diaper rash….worked like a charm. He has heard it from an older lady and passed it on to me…there are some thing’s he said you don’t learn in medical school 🙂
Our doctor prescribed 2 tsp Kaopectate (sp), 1 tsp Benadryl and 3 tsp water when my son had hand, foot and mouth and it worked great. I have ulcers in the back of my throat and just used it and I have no more pain.
That is so interesting and helpful Malora – they say that once you get bed sores if you’re bedridden, that they are very hard to get rid of. Thank you – I love informative tips like these.
I think that you definitley need to consult a Dr. when using lidocaine. If you use too much it can mess with your heart. So, I would not use it on a child. And above you stated that benadryl was for pain. It is not a pain reliever. It is an antihistamine. So, that being said consult a Dr. before giving medical advice, especially for children
DeAnna-she did consult a doctor-her pediatrician gave her the information. She also states that she (Heather) is not a doctor and to check with your own physician or pharmacist before taking any medication or giving any to your children. It’s all stated there. This post is meant to be informational-how each person chooses to use it is up to that individual.
Heather-thank you for sharing your information.
it is all stated there, however she’s right . . . diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, usually used for allergic reactions. It puts most kids to sleep. It is not for pain. The only reason it would help with pain is that it knocks you out. I’m not sure I understand why this ingredient would help a sore throat, especially if you don’t swallow it, but if you find something that works and is approved by your doctor, go for it!
The doctor prescribed this mixture for my daughter just last week. It included the lidocaine. I had never heard of it before, but it is exactly what the doctor told us the “magic” mouthwash was. Of course you would want to be cautious…….The script said for my daughter to “take” the meds. We will stick to the gargling, not swallowing, but it is the same as what is prescribed by physicians.
Benadryl is an antihistamine, this is true. It is used for allergic reactions as well. It is used to relieve swelling which is in part due to sore throat and irritation from said sore throat. So she was correct in stating that it helped relieve pain.
FYI, while diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is an oral antihistamine, topically it is used for numbing (eg, magic mouthwash or Benadryl cream). Lidocaine, another topical anesthetic, is a common ingredient in magic mouthwash. It does requires a prescription, so any prescription magic mouthwashes should not be shared.
ps I’m a pharmacist.
The magic part is that it doesn’t use Lidocaine.
P.S. I went to med. school too.
I would listen and trust a pharmacist any day of the week about medicine before I trusted an MD Danni- meds are not your specialty- Pharmacists save doctors butts on a daily basis- ps IM NOT A RPH- or an MD- but I am in the medical field and know how things really work-
Tiffany, you are exactly right. First of all, I am not involved in the medical field in any way professionally, but I am involved in every aspect of it because I have been a patient/customer to the people involved in this field. That being said, I too trust my pharmacist to give me the best, most truthful, accurate, unbiased, educated, etc. opinion that is available for this type of information. 1st: they know the medications far better than doctors because that is their one specialty (which includes many items to evaluate & compare to like items), 2nd: they also have 99.9% more real life feedback from real consumers which just happen to be the best most accurate information gathering group you could have for keeping you updated about any side-effects, benefits, pros, cons and even small little details that usually seem unimportant, but sometimes end up saving lives, etc. about their products which to me is the most beneficial and important aspect of this industry and those pharmacists that actually take a true interest in getting to know their customers personally in a way that makes them a true wealth of information that WILL save lives and those few pharmacists who go even beyond their actual job of really just filling your medication and making sure it is correct, to take action by contacting doctors, patients, drug companies, etc. to make sure it is correct is for any reason it is questioned or if they know that their patient would be better served with a similar medication that doesn’t react with the patients current prescriptions, and that just skims the surface, but the idea is MR. MD, just because you have those initials after your name in no way make you a specialist or a walking “Wiki”, WAAAAYYYY ABOVE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE (your opinion)—you are probably not even as smart as the nurse in charge of emptying bed pans, but if you were nobody would ever know it, because you sound like a complete idiot and I have only heard you speak less than 20 words, so I don’t believe you will be much of a success as an MD. FYI…you really should learn how to spell medical or at least learn the proper abbreviations when you make a comment–you do have spell check if you know what that is and what purpose it serves, but if you don’t, ask one of your “subordinates” to explain it to you and I bet they will in less than 20 words BUT it will be clear, concise directions that are easy enough for even you to follow and I bet they will spell every word and/or abbreviation correctly, without spell check. I just had to post this because I have exactly 0 amount of medical knowledge from education, jobs, etc., but even me only a uneducated, ignorant, etc.(your opinion of anyone who isn’t an MD, I’M SURE) consumer and I know that I am much more knowledgeable about this subject than you. The reason I posted this, which just happens to be the first time I’ve ever been so upset, insulted, outraged, etc. to take the time to respond to a post on a blog (which I usually don’t read either because I could care less what you’re having for supper and why you have the urge to write about it, etc. just an example of most blogs which are completely useless, stupid, wastes of time, etc., etc. because I could go on all day, but this blog is actually informative, intelligent, helpful one that I have ever read and she writes it with knowledge that she intelligently gathers, for our information only, not as a medical miracle–never once claimed to be giving medical advice–did post the fact that it was NOT meant to be used as medical advice, but only for informational purposes-that I felt like I had to back her up by saying that, she is more helpful and intelligently informed on her subject matter, which just happens to be a hobby, than you are on your lively hood, career, duty of oath, etc. that you just love to throw in other peoples faces–that might be okay if you were intelligent to compose a proper way to write down on paper the way you would look down your nose, feeling completely superior, etc. in person with a patient or anybody else for that matter because you believe yourself to be much more intelligent than most people in the world, why, I really don’t know unless you think those two little letters, md, are really THAT important. I want to give you a reality check..md just happens to be an abbreviation(the only one you know correctly, I guess, but you didn’t even write it correctly,,,lol), anyway, IT IS ONLY AN ABBREVIATION OF YOUR JOB—that’s it—you decided that you liked to add it on at the end of your name for some reason that I don’t really get, but there are a lot more Jr., Sr., III., IV., etc. in the world that have letters to add too, but I bet most them don’t think that it gives them a license to act like idiots, talk to others like a fool with absolutely no common sense, book sense that you only know because you paid somebody to allow you to go to school for at least 5-8 years longer than everybody else in world to earn a college diploma, which by itself is sooo sooo sad & you don’t even know it, but you are almost middle aged before you ever even have your first real job, which is ridiculous, but the worst part is that you like to act like a know-it-all without a care in the world who thinks hes entitled to speak and act as he chooses even if it is not acceptable behavior for people who know how to act like a normal human being in society, but then you get on a blog like this because even though you didn’t mention why, you were probably looking for information too because you don’t have clue (you know I’m right, accept it), but then you probably found what you needed and felt like a complete idiot that you had to come to a blog run for a hobby and get medical advice for yourself, who should be able to know exactly what the problem is according to you, because you thought you stated it all with your few little words and you did, but you DID NOT, state what you intended to, but you made public the fact that most of us average, everyday humans are much more intelligent than you who spent most of your life in school to be able to write, md, well i can too if I feel like it and didnt even have to spend any money or go to school to do it, if you were truly intelligent you would know that too, but now you do, cause I told you and didnt even charge you for my professional information, which most people just call COMMON SENSE, I know you have websters out right now, but you arent going to learn the real definition/meaning by looking it up, you are going to have to climb off that high horse of yours to planet earth and pay attention to the everyday world around you and you might just learn something of value without even trying, but I will give one last bit of advice, ****UNLESS YOU HAVE A MAJOR LIFE CHANGE OR SOMETHING OF THE NATURE THAT HELPS YOU REALIZE THAT THE BEST TEACHER IN THE WORLD IS ALL THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE, WORK, ETC AROUND THAT YOU SEE EVERYDAY, DOING EVERYDAY THINGS, WILL TEACH YOU MORE AND ACTUAL IMPORTANT USEFUL INFORMATION THAN ANY BOOK COULD EVER HOPE TO BUT PLEASE–LET THE NEXT BOOK YOU BUY BE TITLED “COMMENTING ON BLOGS CORRECTLY FOR DUMMIES” AND PLEASE READ IT COVER TO COVER SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE SOMEONE YOU ASK QUESTIONS AND MAKE NOTES ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS, ETC AND DONT EVER WRITE ON A BLOG AGAIN UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY TRULY GET ***WHY, WHY, WHY***, DID A COMPLETE STRANGER TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE THIS TO ME–IM GOING TO TELL YOU, BUT HAVING THE CORRECT ANSWER IS NOT THE SAME AS UNDERSTANDING WHY ITS THE CORRECT ANSWER–I DID IT BECAUSE YOU GOT ON HERE WITH THE INTENT TO BELITTLED EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO EVER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS BLOG FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON, BUT I AM THRILLED ACTUALLY BECAUSE YOU ONLY SUCCEEDED IN PROVING ALL BY YOURSELF JUST HOW TRULY IGNORANT YOU ARE AND THAT IT IS TRULY SAD WHEN A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WHO YOU EXPECT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST HELPFUL PEOPLE YOU EVER MEET TURNS OUT TO BE A COMPLETE AND UTTER DISGRACE TO THE WORD AND JOB (YES, IT IS JUST A JOB, NO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER JOB–NO ITS NOT BETTER, THE BEST, ETC JOB OR THE DISTINGUISHED JOB THAT YOU ONLY HAVE BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD GIVE A LICENSE TO SPEAK YOUR MIND WITHOUT REPERCUSSIONS), BUT THANK YOU FOR PROVING TODAY, ALL BY YOURSELF, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO HELP THAT YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA ABOUT NORMAL EVERYDAY THINGS THAT MOST CHILDREN ARE EVEN AWARE AND CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING AND THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THOSE TWO LETTERS, IM SORRY, BUT IT DOESNT IN ANY WAY MAKE YOU SPECIAL, IT JUST STATES ON YOUR NAME TAG (WHICH IS USUALLY RESERVED MORE FOR BLUE COLLAR TYPE JOBS) WHAT YOUR NAME IS, THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED BY LAW TO GIVE SOMEONE YOUR OPINION ON MEDICAL ISSUES (THE NAME TAG IS HELPFUL, IF YOU EVER WANT TO KNOW HOW TO WRITE IT CORRECTLY, USE THAT CAUSE I BET THE RECEPTIONIST THAT MADE IT FOR YOU GOT IT PERFECT ON HER FIRST TRY WITH NO HELP AT ALL), THE BAD & LAST THING I WILL SAY IS JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING, LEGALLY, DOESNT MEAN YOU SHOULD AND YOU NEED TO REALIZE THAT YOU NEED A DIFFERENT CAREER BECAUSE THIS ONE GOING TO END WITH IN JAIL FOR MURDERING A PATIENT BECAUSE OF MALPRACTICE OR CONCETE BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING. IF YOU STAY A DOCTOR YOU REALLY NEED A MENTOR THAT IS HONEST AND YOU RESPECT TO TEACH YOU HOW TO BE AT LEAST A MARGINAL DOCTOR SO YOU CAN AT LEAST MAKE A ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE IT FROM ONE CHECK TO THE NEXT WITHOUT GOVERNMENT HELP. GOOD LUCK AND THANKS FOR NOTHING BUT PROVING YOUR IGNORANCE FOR ME!!!!! HAVE GREAT DAY–I KNOW I WILL!!!!!!
I rarely comment to other people’s comments, but I liked yours. We – ‘the simple folks’ – are way too often treated like morons just because people with ‘abbreviations’ think and (most often, wrongly) assume that we don’t know any better. In my experience, a nurse once helped me because she knew what was wrong with me – and a doctor didn’t/couldn’t. Then recently I got treated like a moron because a doctor tried to tell me I have ‘anxiety’ (their favorite word for ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with you but I don’t want to put in my time to find out’). And, also from my experience, pretty much every doctor treats you the same. If they can write a prescription and have you out of the office in five minutes, it makes their day – and if they can’t, well, then you probably have anxiety -:)
I have a horrible sore throat and tried this today.It did not work for me. 🙁
Bummer. Earlier in the comments some people said that they had better luck with lidocain added to the mix. 🙁 Maybe you can get the prescription ingredient that it is missing from a pharmacist – or try swishing and gargling with coconut oil to soothe your throat. Nothing worse than a really bad sore throat. Hope you get well quick.
Try adding a couple of sprays of sore throat numbing spray and it helps to numb it a little more. As a teacher I often get sore throats and this really helps me.
Yes!! This worked great when my daughter had hand foot & mouth…a great deal of relief(didn’t swallow any of the magic mouthwash tho!)
My grandmas doctor gave her this same recipe for her mouth sores that she gets from her chemotherapy.
You CANNOT SWALLOW COCONUT OIL when you have swished it in your mouth!!! It has pulled out the infected bacteria out of your gums and sores and so on and if you swallow it, it will make you sick. You can google about it. DO NOT SWALLOW and DO NOT SPIT IT OUT IN YOUR SINK, IT WILL HARDEN THE PIPES UP. GARBAGE CAN!
Great advice, Luke! 😉 I know I’ve spit too much in my sink. Thanks!
I always remember to spit instead of swallow
Good one!!
I'm going to have to remember this for the future! And sometimes — especially when I indulge in homegrown tomatoes! — I get mouth ulcers, and there's just not much that really helps those. So maybe this! Who'd a thunk it. 😉
We use magic mouthwash all the time where I work. (I work at a children's hospital) It works well if they have mouth sores too. We typically use it for mouth sores or sore throats after being intubated (the breathing tube). You can add flavoring too to make it more palatable. Chocolate syrup is a favorite with our patients. 🙂
Interesting idea- but it tasted bubble gum-ish since the it came pre-flavored already…
I am using it for 2 days and I don’t see any change my throat is so sore. How much time you have to wait until you can eat or drink.
Wait a minimum of 30 minutes.
OMGsh! I never heard of that. So cool, I will have to keep that in mind. thanks for passing it on!
That's really something! I've never heard of this magic concoction before. I'll try it next time we have sore throats going around. Maybe they'll never complain about the sore throat again because they're afraid of the medicine? LOL
Thanks for sharing.
I was told about this magic mouthwash years(many) ago when my boys all got Hand, Foot and Mouth. Came in handy when our daughter got it, too. Thanks for sharing it, because it seems many haven't been let in on the secret. 🙂 I never used it for a bad sore throat, though….I'll have to remember this.
LOVE this! 🙂 Thanks for sharing….keep 'em coming!
I was prescribed Magic Mouthwash for a swollen tastebud a few months ago (who's ever heard of that??) and it worked amazingly well. I woke this morning with a terrible sore throat and figured I'd give it a try. So far, so good.
i wish the magic mouthwash was helping me. the doc prescribed it and it tastes awful…. i swish and swallow then have to eat crackers to deal with not letting it come back up.my throat still feels horrible. it also does not make my mouth or throat numb. probably going back to doc this week.
The same with me.
Are you drinking the glass of water first as well as rinsing/gargling with the warm salt water?
My 2 year old son Charlie was prescribed magic mouth wash today for his mouth sores but there is no dam Maalox in the whole state of Florida it seems, finally got the CVS generic brand of Maalox, anyone know why there isn't any maalox around?
There was a recall a while ago for Maalox.
My 2 year old son Charlie was prescribed Magic Mouth wash today for his mouth sores, when the pharmacists at walgreens calls to inform me that they are out of Maalox in all surrounding stores as well, checked Publix, Target & finally settled on the generic CVS brand that has the same formulation as Maalox. So does anyone know where has all the Maalox gone?
Major maalox recall. Look for generic or milk of magnesia.
I had never heard of this, but sure wish I had years ago. For some reason my family and I get severe sore throats and I’ve been plaqued with canker sores for as long as I can remember. Right now I have two sores on my tongue and I was searching for home remedies and came across this “Magic Mouthwash”. I too could not find Maalox but I did find milk of magnesia, at the 3rd store. I tried it last night and it did make my tongue numb, but not so numb I could bite it by mistake. I’ve so happy I found this, will use it again! Thanks for sharing.
I shared because of how it worked for me! 🙂 Glad it is helping others get some relief. Not much worse than a bad sore throat.
Found this on pinterest and wanted to say that I had never heard of magic mouthwash until my husband received a rx for it back in June. We paid $30 for it and that is with insurance. Crazy. Never again. lol 🙂
Most likely,being prescription, it had lidocaine in it (in addition to Benadryl and maalox). Lidocaine is only available by RX. That’s why it would have cost you more.
I make it all the time at work and what me make has lidocaine, nystatin, maalox, and Benadryl in it. The nystatin is the expensive ingredient. $30 isn’t a bad copay.
Your correct Cheryl. I used to work in a pharmacy and the RX magic mouthwash has lidocaine in addition to the maalox and benadryl. The lidocaine is what makes your throat/mouth numb. I’m not sure that this homemade concoction would work the same as the RX without the lidocaine. Guess it’s worth a shot
Just a thought what if you used a bit of chloraseptic spray for the liquid instead of water? I have used chloraseptic spray to numb mouth ulcers for years. Sometimes they hurt so bad but the spray numbs it. I don’t think it does anything for the healing, so I may have to give this a try. Thanks for posting.
Good idea.
Please do not substitute Milk of Magnesia for Maalox. Only use Maalox or a generic for Maalox. Milk of Magnesia is a very powerful laxative. I have been in the pediatric medical field for 30 plus years. These two medications are no where near the same and Milk of Magnesia in this dosage may be harmful to children.
Yes, for a younger child, I wouldn’t have used it. However, the active ingredients were so similar and my daughter was 12 or 13 at the time. She could swish and spit. My daughter didn’t swallow this, just gargled with it.
Both Mylanta/Maalox and MOM contain 400 mg of Magnesium Hydroxide per 5mL (1 tsp). Difference is that Maalox has Aluminum Hydroxide as well. This is why Maalox/Mylanta can act as a laxative, too, if you take too much of it. Best practice would be to use only with children who will spit it out. I have seen the Rx “magic mixture” ordered by the MD to be swallowed for sores deep in the throat or going down the esophagus, so it is safe, however I have only ever seen in adults and by Dr’s order. If you swallow the magic mixture- homemade or otherwise- get plenty of fluids in case you do get the laxative effects, you won’t get dehydrated, too…..thanks for posting!
When I was in high school, I developed some canker sores, big ones, at the back of my throat. I was given a concoction of Mylanta, Benadryl, and Xylitol. I though it was the weirdest thing! It really worked though. I can attest to this mix. I don’t remember what the Xylitol was for, but it was prescribed and the rest I could get over the counter.
My Dr. also prescribed Viscious Xylocaine to add to this mixture. It worked like a dream when my son had tonsillitis years ago. It was the only way he could drink anything.
Thanks for sharing. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of this before. I can see why they may want to use a corticosteroid like hydrocortisone because it too would help decrease swelling, and tetracycline is an antibiotic which could help fight an infection, but should NEVER be ingested if you are pregnant. Just FYI.
Thank you, I was shouting this in my mind.
Tetracycline will also PERMANENTLY stain teeth.
And topically isn’t very effective and could lead to bacterial resistance . . . .
Over all, I have used this as the immunosuppressant I take is a chemotherapeutic agent that strips folic acid out of my system and as a result, I develop mouth sores. I can attest to it’s benefits.
I also start with a liberal swishing of Chloraseptic. The phenols in it act and an antiseptic and an anesthetic. Sometimes this is the only thing that dulls the pain enough for me to fall asleep.
I do not swallow the milk of magnesia, it will give me diarrhea even in minute quantities.
Maalox=aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide
Milk of Magnesia=Magnesium Hydroxide
Another thing I use Chloraseptic for is for preventing coughs when I am sick with a chest cold or flu and that tickle in my throat won’t quit. I numb the throat with the spray and then take some honey-related natural cough syrup (elderberry is great, too) or a spoon full of local honey… and usually I am able to fall asleep before another coughing spell starts again.
This is not the recipe for Magic Mouthwash.
It is missing Rx dexamethasone. I am a RPh & have mixed it many times.
There are MANY different recipes for Magic Mouthwash, some with viscous lidocaine, dexamethasone, ….and so on.
I too have mixed it many times.
It might not be the same as some recipes, but it’s kind of like a recipe for goulash : there’s a bunch of different ways to make it. The point is, this helped my daughter’s sore throat – and it was readily available without a prescription. 🙂
I wish I knew this years ago, but I am glad I know it now. My grandson, just like my daughter has this problem and it can be miserable, so I will forward this to them, hoping it will work for them.
Thank you
I was given something like this earlier this year by my Doc. For me it was Maalox, Benadryl, and Lidocaine. Made me want to puke but it was fabulous! I had a horrible sore throat for about two weeks before I went in and got this stuff. Wish I had done it sooner!
Interesting idea, but I am not in any hurry to get a sore throat just to try this. But hey, if it works, it’s a good thing! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
______
Lee Ann H
Crochet…Gotta Love It! Blog
Crochet…Gotta Love It! Website (crochet names and rosary patterns)
This is interesting and I have made a note of it; I had shingles once and it started on my right tonsil and made its way across the roof of my mouth, HORRIBLE. Recently, stress triggered a recurrence, and it shows up where it showed up before. I was fortunate to realize what it was before it became full-blown, but not before my tonsil and part of the roof of my mouth was involved again. Seriously hoping for no more repeats of this, but I have saved this recipe just in case! I had never heard of this recipe, but I had heard of using a cotton swab and Milk of Magnesia (mint flavor) to coat canker sores to ease the pain and irritation.
What did they look like? I might ave experienced it as well and not known its shingles?
Wish I would have seen many years ago. Milk of magnesia is good for skin too. I just heard it was good for pimples, psoriasis and excema .now does anyone have a remedy for mucous from allergies? Thanks! and what age is Morgan, i figure she is 6-11.how would I figure the amts for a 2 yr, 5 yr ( cause the labels say they cannot have)….if a person spit out the milk of magnesia, wouldn’t that be ok? ty again!
Please do not give milk of magnesia in place of maalox…they are NOT the same thing. Milk of magnesia is a LAXATIVE!! And you can overdose on it!
I wouldn’t give it to a young child that might swallow the ingredients if they aren’t supposed to have them (read your labels closely). For them, I would just stick to the cherry flavored sore throat sprays.
My daughter had a prescription for it when she was 4yrs old for mouth sores, no lidocaine exactly same recipe, and dr. prescribed 1 tsp, and said if my son develops the sores, he was 2yrs old at the time, give the same amount, and he told me to have them swallow it because it helps to treat better when they intake it also to circulate through their system as opposed to spitting it out.
I have been doing this for years. Works great for sore throats and canker sores.
My family has two concoctions we have always used before bed for a sore throat. 1. Just plain old warm salt water. And if that doesn’t work 2. Disolve an asprin in warm water and gargle with it and swallow a little to let the asprin coat the throat. When you awake, sore throat is usually gone.
disclaimer: I’m not a doctor but I can tell you what has always worked for us. Always ask your doctor before using any medication.
Yes, and my mother swears up and down that keeping your hair dry (no wet hair to bed) and wearing socks will help a sore throat, too… 🙂 And of course, chicken soup – always!
Something I found works really well for canker sores in my mouth is baking soda. I just wet my finger, stick it in some baking soda and dab it on the sore. Don’t drink or eat anything after. It works really well if you get it on the sore as soon as you feel it starting and especially just before you go to bed.
As a pharmacist, I must say that the REAL “magic mouthwash” IS a prescription only medication because it has 2% viscous lidocaine in it-the ingredient that numbs everything so well. The rx version in my opinion works better for numbing because of the lidocaine-nothing over the counter comes close.
Vee, I was going to post the same thing. My son is currently taking the magic mouthwash prescribed, for the third time in his 4 years. It’s maalox, benadryl, and lidocaine. It does work, I’ll give it that!
I was prescribed this as well…is it better to swish or swallow?
Speaking as a pharmacist in Michigan, we have a dozen recipes. The prescription has the recipe number by the physician, and we make that concoction. We VERY VERY seldom use lidocaine in magic mouthwash for young children under 6. So because they do that where you live, it is NOT the same here.
The prescription only formula contains lidocaine which in turned numbs the throat. Nothing else works this well. Steroids do not prevent infection. They can actually suppress your immune system, mask infection and increase the chance of fungal/yeast infections.
Thank you for sharing. Will consider but usually I stick to natural remedies.
Seriously!? I wish I(or I guess my mom) had known about this when I was kid. I had sore throats ALL.THE.TIME. Horrible things! I will be storing this info away….hopefully I don’t have to use it. 😉
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, not a pain reliever. Yes it helps with pain caused by allergic reactions because it helps stop the allergic reaction, but it does not work like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
didn’t read through all of the comments but it’s also amazing for when you couldn’t wait for that killer pizza you pulled out of the oven to come down from “volcano” temp and you burn several layers of skin from the roof of your mouth and it comes off in sheets. magic mouthwash does the trick. i also like that it’s an “on demand” remedy meaning you don’t have to buy a giant bottle of it that goes bad before you can use it all.
Never thought about it for mouth ulcers or burns – that’s a great idea, though!
I had just read that letting 2-3 marshmallows disolve, chew slowly I guess, allows the gelatin to coat the throat also. I’m going to try both of these next time my throat hurts!
Apparently marshmallows were invented to help sore throats! I tried it but I must have eaten them too quickly, rather than let them dissolve. This makes more sense! I love marshmallows though, so I didn’t mind. 😀
The way marshmallows were made back then was with their extract…marshmallows today are made differently and do not have the same soothing properties. I wish they did.
I work at Walgreens and I am so glad someone shared this! We make a compound (a personalized medication that we mix and make via recipe for a specific patient with a prescription) called Mary’s Magic Mouthwash. It’s great for people who are going through chemo or have terrible sore throats, and it usually has Benadryl, Nystatin, Hydrocortisone, and Doxycycline, but this is a really good “at home” version! The benadryl makes a big difference and also takes the swelling down. I have never tried is myself, but because this is so similar to what we make, principle definitely says it would work! Going to try it the next time I get sick!
The prescription stuff also usually has lidocaine for pain relief, almost forgot. But you could probably substitute Orajel at home (not sure how much)!
(This suggestion does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your doctor before use. Don’t want to get sued) 😉
Please do not try substitute orajel at home for the lidocaine in prescription only mouthwashes… this is not safe!
Agreed! That stuff is not supposed to be swallowed, and there is a chance with a mouthwash that you might swallow some of it.
This recipe is missing lidocaine, which is the solution added to numb, very important to watch what you eat or drink after using the magic mouthwash with lidocaine as choking becomes more of a risk as you can not feel your throat. cvs actually has a kit that comes packaged labeled magic mouthwash or you can get it at any pharmacy with lidocaine on hand. I’m a technician for a retail pharmacy and have compounded the magic mouth wash many times. Maalox or generic equivalent helps coat your mouth throat and stomach, lidocaine is the numbing agent and benadryl of course makes you drowsy. put them together and you’re throat no longer bothers. of course as with all medicines, everyone is different and reacts differently. i was prescribed this when i had strep throat and it did not help one bit!! i had to go back to the doctor for a steroid shot to help with swelling.
Funny, another person said that the prescription version did not work for her, but the cheap home version I mentioned DID. Everyone says that the lidocaine was the “magic” ingredient, but this cheap version worked well for us – and did actually numb the throat enough to offer relief. 🙂
I’ve been using this “magic” mouthwash for years!!! I get really bad canker sores (ones that start eating away at my tongue) and this takes them away. I use equal parts of the maalox and benedryl. I just swish it around and then let it sit for a few seconds on my tongue, then swallow. That helps fight it from the inside as well as the outside.
A doctor prescribed this medicine to me once when I was a teenager and it was amazing. Since I always have sinus drainage and a sore throat to accompany it, I’m SO glad that I came across this recipe!
The magic mouthwash being spoken IS different then the prescription magic mouth wash so please make sure you check with your doctor if you plan on taking this on over the prescribed one.
Diana you’re right, this is not the prescription magic mouth wash. This is just 2 otc products mixed together, grant it may work but the prescription magic wash has prescription medicines in it. You can only get it with a prescription.
My daughter has a really bad sore throat and the lidocaine stuff the doctor prescribed wasn’t working so I tried this and it’s helping! The only thing is I wouldn’t be quick to use Milk Of Magnesia in place of Maalox because that’s a strong laxative whereas the Maalox is just an antacid. Like other people commented, I couldn’t find Maalox so I used the CVS brand instead.
Great! 🙂 Hope you all feel better soon!
I know a lot of people have mixed reactions to this but I can say that for myself and my daughter this works better because it doesn’t have the lidocaine or the steroid in it. When we had a prescription for the pharmacy stuff we both got sick and have since learned that those rx ingredients were the culprit. Having an alternative for simple mouth sores or a sore throat is wonderful.
I read all about it online and heard that it worked without those ingredients and since we were desperate and had these on hand, we tried it… and it DID help us. 🙂 Glad that others are getting relief. I hate sore throats!
In my younger days, I would always get a mouthful of ulcers when I ovulated. So a pharmacist made up a solution similar to this, but he added a numbing medicine in it. So glad to see the recipe for others to get the benefit from this.
Great Idea!!!
I learned eucaliptis is good for coughing
& pepperminnt for sinus
so I take little glass lip balm roller
use olive oil as a transporter oil add the Mint
& then roll it on the bottem of our feet
it works like a dream!
Our ortho gave us this little magic mouthwash recipe – it works great for new braces that leave soreness on the insides of their mouths. Also great for cancers 🙂
Awesome idea — My kids just got their teeth worked on at the orthodontist today! 😉
I have used this several times for mouth sores. Not for sore throats. We used Maalox or Mylanta instead of milk of mag. The Maalox/Mylanta seem to coat the mouth better & helps the stomach if it is sour.
God Bless,
Brandy
I take methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis which is basically a cancer med in a much lower dose. I take it on Sat. night and by Sunday morning have little blisters on the roof of mouth. Going to try this to help heal them so I can eat certain foods without pain. So glad I came across this blog.
Let me know if it works for you! Hope you feel better.
FYI, The Dollar Tree sells Milk of Magnesia, but not the childrens benedryl. I had to go to Dollar General where I got the store brand for $2! It didn’t numb my mouth but it did take most of the pain away.
I work in a dentist office and the doc recommends swishing with Benedryl and Caopectate mixture to get rid of canker soars.
What is the exact mixture of this? My 6yr old has got canker sores since she was about 2 and Dr say there isn’t anything they can do. She will get 3&4 at a time in her mouth. I want to try this
are you sure they are canker sores? my daughter was getting the same thing and finally found it was herpingina (not sure if I spelled it right) you may want to ask the dr about that?!
321 gargles is the one with Kaopectate and I swear by it. I got it from an army doctor:
3 parts water, 2 parts Kaoplectate, 1 part liquid Benadryl
It is the ONLY thing for any kind of throat pain, and it is cheap. 🙂 Only mix what you need when you use it.
Our pediatrician prescribes this mixture for Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. It always works and brings comfort.
I just tried this for a canker sore on my tongue, it really is magic! I’ve been in pain for nearly a week now and NOTHING helped, I hate that numb feeling but its better than the pain!
they give this to help sooth mouth sores in cancer patients
will this work for a one year old? do they swallow it? what do i mix for a one year old that has hand, foot and mouth?
I would NOT give this to a one year old. 🙁 Sorry!
We’re dealing with HFM right now with our 17month old, 18lbs daughter. The pediatrician said to mix 1 part maalox, 2 parts benedryl, and 3 parts water. Put a little bit in her mouth, squirting it to the top and sides so it coats. The little bit she will ingest will be fine. I used a tsp dropper and only needed 1/4 tsp of the mix at a time to get her relief.
So yeah, while your baby won’t be able to gargle with it, you can still use it. Just don’t squirt a bunch in there!
I am a radiation therapist, and this sounds like the “Clark’s Solution” that our head and neck cancer patients are often prescribed to ease the side effects of the radiation treatments. Because the neck is a difficult area to treat, the solution works ok but the effects are not long lasting, but for general throat pain/mouth sores I’m sure this would work great.
Thanks this wonderful tip 🙂 As you mentioned in your blog, you also tried this concoction, may I know how much of each ingredient did you make?
thanks!
The recipe above has the exact mixture that I used. I would make sure you read the labels and find out how much of the medicines are ok for you or your child to swallow and stay UNDER that amount – mixing them together so that there is an equal amount of both (and a little water to stir it well).
Just be careful with this mixture. ESPECIALLY WHEN GIVING TO CHILDREN. There is a reason that this is normally by prescription only! I work in a pharmacy and am familiar with the different “recipes” used to make this mouth was. Honestly, the best recommendation, is the over the counter mouth sore rinses that you can purchase (usually in the mouth was section), unless you have prescription.
Does anyone know if this works at all for a fever blister on your lip? If so, how would you use this? swish the inside of mouth, smear over lip, or drink so that it works from the inside out? Just wondering.
Fever blisters are caused by a virus. OTC L-lysine sometimes helps, but a prescription anti-viral works wonders!
Also, I realize this has been said before but it cannot be emphasized enough…please DO NOT substitute MOM for Maalox, esp. when dealing with a young child! Home remedy recipes, especially those for children, posted on websites/blogs always give me the heebie geebies. All medicines, even herbal, interact with each other. Sometimes the interactions are good, sometimes not. Also, what works one way for you (or your child) may work totally different in someone else. Why take that chance, especially with your child? Why not simply use something that already has a proven safe record? Better yet, why not simply use salt water instead of combo meds?
(Registered Nurse here)
milk of magnesia is for constipation,,,, it is not antacid….use mylanta or generic……..
I worked as a CNA on a Pediatric unit at our local hospital and doctors would always order the “magic mouthwash” from out inpatient pharmacy for soar throat symptoms. I’ve seen it work great for patients! I do agree with posts above though that you should consult your Ped Doc before treating a child with any medications before hand. 🙂
Woo Hoo…I found the post again! I had seen it on Pintrest at one time, but didn’t repin it, but now that I’ve found it, I wrote it down! I have canker sores in my mouth sometimes and I’m hoping this may do the trick! So I’m going to try it the next time they decide to pop up! Thanks again Heather!!!
A can of bearspray exploded all over me and a few of my friends, the ER doctor made us up some of your magic mouthwash + lidocain and it took the burn away immeditely. If it can ease that burn I will try it next time for a sore throat. Thanks!
My daughter had a mouthful of sores when she was 2, the Dr told me to mix cherry flavored Maalox with peroxide, but do not swallow only swish. It was difficult for a 2 year old, but it worked.
I will have to try this, but let me tell you other uses for Milk of Magnesium (MOM). I use it as deodarant. I shake it, pour it in my hand and rub under my arms. I NEVER smell. I have been searching for YEARS to find a deo that works.. I want to start mixing it with a scent, but there is NO SMELL!
My youngest son has the worst smelly feet I have ever encountered. I have washed them, used hibeclens, used apple cider vinegar, listerine, medicine. Last night, they were horrible. I wondered how well the MOM would work for his feet. I wanted to know HOW well. I didn’t even bother to wash his feet, I just rubbed it in.. It was gone.. He didn’t take a bath last night and I am curious to see if it worked through the night and day.. yes, I can’t wait for my son to come home so i can smell his feet.. lol
Woman with oily faces.. Use this as a face mask. It is cheaper and works better than any you have tried. Some woman use it on thier t-zone after moisturizer and before makeup to keep from being oily through the day.
This was prescribed for my daughter when she was going through chemo. Apparently the chemo drugs can cause mouth sores. She never had them, but we had magic mouthwash on hand just in case. (By the way, she’s fine now – in remission for 3 1/2 years.)
Yay!
can liquid zyertec be used instead of Benedryl ? sometimes Benedryl hipes my child up.
Not sure. You don’t have to have them swallow it for the affect to work. I used it last night on a sore in my mouth that I made with a toothbrush inadvertently – which has been causing me pain for over a week, being infected near my gum. It did relieve some of the pain. What worked even better for me, though, was swishing with coconut oil. I did that this morning and I’m feeling better some.
My daughter was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on the side of her neck 2 years ago at the age of 23. She had to endure two months of five day a week radiation treatments which burned her neck and throat inside and out. The doctor prescribed magic mouthwash…the Pharmaceutical variation, and this really helped her. Once I saw that the ingredients were basically your version of the mixture, I knew we could have a back up plan. She could only get it at the hospital where she was being treated, so if she ran out before she could get back there, we would make it ourselves. It really helped. For sore throats of other causes I swear by salt water with a tablespoon of vinegar in it. Thank you for the post, the ingredients are inexpensive so it is worth a try if your leery.
Have not read through all 109 comments so if this is a repeat forgive me.
I was given this same formula for diaper rash.. Dab it on with cotton balls, Works great when babies butt is on fire!
I have 24 yrs of pediatric experience at a large tertiary hospital. Please be aware that Asprin should NEVER be used in children under the age of 16 as it can cause Ryes Syndrome which is a rare and usually fatal result of Asprin use in young children; it causes liver failure.
I saw this on Pinterest . But my daughter recently had hand foot and mouth that just seemed to get worse as the week had went on. Took her back to the doctor and he prescribed exactly this, called it magic mouthwash as well. So as long as your following dosages pediatrician are doing it to!!
For the adults that get shingles. There is a shingles shot available. It’s expensive but better than shingles.
I was diagnosed with a niacin deficiency a few years back, so every now and then i get a burning sensation on my tongue and i cant taste anything, or eat for that matter. my doctor prescribed me mylanta then, told me to swish it around and spit it out. it took quite a while to get feeling back. i switched to this and now it goes away in a day or two. im glad to see other people using it!!
Swishing with coconut oil… look up oil pulling, awesome benefits. DO NOT swallow.
I have looked up oil pulling! And coconut oil is known to be orally beneficial. I don’t swallow the swished oil (it has the toxins from your mouth that you are trying to get rid of in it), but I do use and eat the oil for other reasons – including cooking, and even sometimes a little in my hot green tea for flavor.
I used to work in a dental office and our dentist would write a prescription for this majic mouth wash for those suffering from canker sores. 1/3 Keopectate, 1/3 Benadryl elixer, 1/3 lidocaine. Pepto Bismal, Milk of Magnesia, Maalox can all be substituted for the Keopectate. Just swish with the majic mouthwash to coat the inside of your mouth and spit out the excess. It works wonders for canker sores. I had however, never heard of using it for a sore throat. Since I don’t have access to lidocaine, I just use a 50/50 mix of Keopectate and Benadryl. It does work wonders.
i haven’t read through the comments, so i hope i’m not repeating this- i used to work as a pediatric nurse for children with cancer- this sounds like what the doctors would prescribe to the patients who had horrible mouth ulcers due to side effects of chemotherapy- so glad i saw this- my little ones get canker sores pretty regularly and i bet this will alleviate it- just forgot about this until now…thanks!
This last set of sores I got from the flu, I used coconut oil to swish with for 2 and a half days and they were gone. Seriously reduced the pain and irritation also – and coconut oil is edible and non-toxic for any age! 🙂
I am a dentist and I “prescribe” this Magic Mouthwash all the time. Works great for mouth ulcers. Didn’t think about the sore throat, great idea!
Saw a lot of discussion about the difference between MOM and Mylanta. From their websites: MOM has 1200 mg Magnesium hydroxide per 15 ml. Mylanta has 500 mg of both MG hydroxide and Al Hydroxide per 5 ml. I saw several comments that MOM is a laxative, but one of the side effects listed for Mylanta is diarrhea (or constipation!). I believe the Magnesium works much the same way that putting corn syrup in a babies bottle does to help constipation. A note on kaopectate and pepto bismol, they both contain Bismuth subsalicylate, which is related to aspirin, it is not recommended for children under 12, as stated on the bottle. Aspirin causes Reyes syndrome in young children and so I wouldn’t use either of those.
That is good to know about the Bismuth. Thanks for taking the time to share it!
Per my dentist, if you have mouth sores, you should lay off toothpaste until the sores heal. It has a component that inhibits healing.
I enjoyed reading all the posts. Just a friendly reminder, if your only symptom is a sore throat with or without fever( no runny nose or ulcers) , please consider getting checked for strep throat. Group A strep ( causes strep throat) can have really serious consequences for the heart and kidneys if it isn’t diagnosed and treated with antibiotics. Sometimes kids will also have a “strawberry tongue” when they have strep. My kids also had funny smelling breath and had pale skin under their eyes. But on at least one occasion I missed this and didnt know what was wrong until my child had developed scarlet fever ( strep throat progresses to cause rash with fever). Fortunately antibiotics prevented any serious long term consequences. Thank goodness for antibiotics. Kids used to die from “sore throats”! Also..don’t forget..change the toothbrushes after these sore throat episodes..or at least boil them to disinfect.
Call me crazy but I think it’s the salt water gargle that is probably having the biggest impact??
Tetracycline will not stain your teeth if you are swishing with it. The staining occurs if it is taken orally as a young child, while permanent teeth are developing. I work in a dental office, we prescribe this rinse for our patients a lot, if you want the lidocaine included, must be by prescription.
Hola! I’ve been following your site for some time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Atascocita Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the great job!
Hello,
My daughter is having a tonsillectomy done The 17th. Wondering if the magic mouthwash will help.
A friend suggested this when my dad was undergoing radiation on his neck. We got a perscription formulated with hydrocortisone in it, and it really made a difference, he actually was able to swallow without pain. I wish I had known about this though, when I was a preteen and had recurring tonsilitis.
We took our son to an “urgent care” center for sore throat, sinus pain, chesty cough. Doctor there said i’ll write you a script for an anti-biotic, BUT don’t get it filled for 48 hours … try these few things first. 1. Arm & Hammer’s Simply Saline through the sinus cavities every 4 hours or as needed to flush & the baking soda helps remove infection. 2. Some super thick type of honey from the health food store (more like molasses) to calm the cough. AND FINALLY 3. mix Benadryl & peroxide 50/50 & gargle for the sore throat to cleanse & provide relief. Worked great & we never did get that prescription filled.
Thank you so much for your post! I was really suffering with my sore throat and tried everything! This really gave, e the relief I needed so I could sleep.!
I received this solution once. It is called Magic Swizzle. This stuff is amazing for sore throats! You will have absolute relief from this.
My doctor told me years ago when I had Mono to mix 50/50 malox and liquid benedryl, swish and if I wanted I could swallow for my sore throat. It is an amazing sore throat relief. Don’t know and don’t care how it works, it does!! Even my husband will use it, and I have told many people about it and how it works. I do also know that children don’t need to swallow much of it, it does make you sleepy as benadryl will. But that is also needed when you have a sore throat, so…..Magic Mouthwash….Yay!!
My doctor gave this to me after I had my tonsils removed. It REALLY helped. Gargle with salt water, and then the milk of magnesia + benadryl syrup. It really helped with the pain and healing of my throat.
My little guy just got canker and I was excited to use this but I see now you can’t ingest it and that you said you wouldn’t recommend it for little ones. What do you think if I made it and just dabbed it onto the sore?
You can just use cotton ball and hold it on there for awhile. It help dry them out too. Good luck!
Thanks! I’ll use this on myself! SO glad I don’t have kids…all the bitchy mom comments below are annoying!
Following Thyroid cancer treatment, I was prescribed “Magic Mouthwash”. The version I got could only be filled at our local walmart and contained lidocaine. My saliva glands had swelled shut following raidiated chemotherapy and my entire face swelled up hugemungous. and this was the ONLY thing that relieved the pain. Loved it! I hae also made versions for my children when they have sore throats, and it has helped us avoid unneeded antibiotics. 🙂
Green tea should not be bitter. If you make it with boiling water though it will be a bitter drink with an unpleasant aftertaste. The leaves are too delicate. It should be made with water approx 71 degrees Celsius, then it is delicious.
I am a pharmacist. Correction to a statement you made in #1, prescription magic mouthwash does not contain narcotics. And in your #3, do NOT give aspirin to anyone under 18 years old. Other than that, I do suggest the maalox/Benadryl combo for a sore throat.
I just got off the phone with my son’s pediatrician. He recommended the “magic mouthwash” mixture. Mixture 1 teaspoon Maalox and 1teaspoon liquid Benadryl. Mix, swish and swallow. Can be done every 2 to 3 hours for his weight (75 LBS). He has had a fever and mouth sores for 7 days. Pedi already checked for strep–negative. Today is day 8–no fever but still has the sores. This should cure the sores. I’ll update tomorrow on the effect of the “magic mouthwash”.
The “Magic Mouthwash” worked great. My son was able to eat dinner for the first time in a week! It really decreased the pain and discomfort. We also applied it to his lips which we also a mess from fever blisters. Total improvement in 1 day. He was able to go to school!
I’m a pharmacy technician and we actually make this a lot. We have several different ways to make it but the most common is Maalox, children’s benadryl and lidocaine. It’s crazy how it has never crossed my mind to actually make it myself at home, especially when I have a sore throat! I’ve heard it does a great job.
I would definitely not try anything with tetracycline. This is an antibiotic, and can be very dangerous if it is out of date. Also, hydrocortisone over the counter is not made to be ingested or even put into the mouth. It is for topical, external use only. I am a pharmacy technician, and I do not recommend anyone making their own mouthwash with any prescription medications they may have at home. The mouthwashes with ingredients such as nystatin are sometimes used for the treatment of thrush or other fungus. I would recommend that anyone consult their physician or pharmacist before making their own mouthwash. Also, if prescribed one, don’t replace the more expensive prescription mouthwash with the make it yourself over the counter version before knowing what ingredients you may not have access to.
Try 1 part Mylanta, 1 part butter, 1/3 part icehouse (can, not bottle), 1/3 part sugar, and finally 1/3 part cottage cheese. My doctor had us try this with out 6 month old and it worked like a charm!
Remember if this doesnt work you need to see a doctor. You may have a strep infection. I am a nurse and work o a busy open heart pancreatic surgery vascular surgery trauma floor. We have every type of pt you could think of. We use magic mouth wash frequently. It works. Our pt are able to eat which is very important for the body to heal itself.
Would Tums work?
Thank you so much for this great tutorial! I think this recipe is going to come in handy, with 2 little ones running around 🙂 I have included this in my weekly roundup of useful sites at http://www.doomestic.com Thanks again!!
My oncologist calls it Lizard Spit …
I love that – Lizard Spit! Awesome.
My husband has been prescribed Magic Mouthwash, for mouth and digestive tract issues related to chemotherapy for Bone Marrow Cancer. Even using the mild OTC form of this can lead to some problems, due to the numbing of the throat and tongue. The lidocaine is more particularly the one to be careful with, if you make it at home. Apothecaries can be found, but most pharmacies cannot make this legally, as they do not carry the massive insurance coverage necessary (beyond their normal coverage). Anyway, it can be a choking and/or aspiration hazard as there is a loss of muscle control, and some for several hours, not just a few minutes. Be very, very careful with any kind of home-made mixture, particularly with children, who are more apt to have severe breathing episodes, and it can be fatal at a faster rate for them than for adults. It works wonders, hence Magic, but all magic must be practiced carefully and under supervision.
my little girl is 2 years old. Her doctor told us to do this too…but they had he swallow it…1 teaspoon childrens benadryl and 1 teaspoon maylox mixed….it works miracles
I love this post. I actually found out about this ‘magic mouthwash’ from my doctor because I often get painful canker sores in my mouth and sometimes even in my throat and it works wonders. At times this is the only thing that makes eating possible. So I’d like to thank you for posting this and let other canker sufferers know that this recipe is good for more than just a cold/flu related sore throat.
I was prescribed the Mary’s Magic Mouthwash when I got suck and developed sores in my mouth. It worked quickly and did relieve the pain. Also, with the prescription version, you DO SWALLOW the medication. The real prescription version is expensive even with insurance, but I’d do it again if I was ever that sick again.
One if your comments was regarding the use of tetracycline and discoloration of teeth. Doxycycline will not discolor teeth and could be a good alternative.
Dawn, as with all medications I recommend seeking the advice of a professional first … IE a md or rph- but I just wanted to let everyone know that just because you receive a magic mouthwash prescription does not mean the directions are to always swallow the solution- It depends on what they are treating. sore throat, ulcers, ulcers from chemo treatment, dry socket,ect.. the directions are usually swish and spit, and sometimes they are swish, spit and swallow (specified amount)- Individuals should be careful on what they tell people to do or not do when it comes to medicines. Also FYI tetracycline is on a permanent backorder and no longer available. Furthermore they have recommended that any child under 5 seek the advice of a physician before being given Benadryl due to the overdosing scenarios as of late.
I loved this so much I copied it giving you credit of course. I hope you didn’t mind. I tried it mixed with the chocolate syrup one of the commenters suggested and my daughter said it really was “Magic” Medicine.
Gargling with alka seltzer provides instant relief and almost overnite healing. Would try this next.
This sounds a LOT like what they gave me for when I got thrush as an adult. I had my tonsils out (at 22 – by far the WORST and BEST thing I’ve done) and somehow got thrush. That is so painful that by the time I would have been able eat because my tonsils were healing that I still couldn’t eat! They gave me some kind of miracle stuff that they told me to swish and swallow a lil bit. If this is anything close – then might as well give it a shot! I get ‘lie bumps’ all the time so I will try this and the coconut oil! Thanks!
I asked my dentist friend about the coconut oil swishing, and he said that coconut oil doesn’t clean your teeth/gums/etc any more than any sugar free liquid would. In other words, swish it if you want, but you can just as easily swish water for the same effect, dentally speaking.
Your dentist was probably educated here in America where the Pharm companies keep most Western doctors from doing anything natural. Sorry, but I have used it in my mouth and my mouth feels better when I do. Can’t explain it – but I know it works for me. Here’s the reason why people make the claim that it helps with oral care:
The oils were tested against strains of Streptococcus bacteria, which are common inhabitants of your mouth.
They found that enzyme-modified coconut oil strongly inhibits the growth of most strains of Streptococcus bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a major cause of tooth decay1. It is thought that the breaking down of the fatty coconut oil by the enzymes turns it into acids, which are toxic to certain bacteria.2 Enzyme-modified coconut oil was also harmful to the yeast Candida albicans, which can cause thrush.
Dr. Brady said:
“Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations. Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection.”
Source: Dr. Mercola’s website — http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/12/08/coconut-oil-combats-tooth-decay.aspx
There are a lot of natural remedies that Western doctors don’t tell you about. That being said, take your health seriously and do a LOT OF RESEARCH before you buy in to just one person’s opinion. Mark Twain once said, “Be careful of what you read in health books, you might die of a misprint.”
My husband had a severe reaction to medication. He had large bloody blisters on his mouth and in his mouth as well as down the throat. He was given this Magic Mouthwash made with Lanacaine and Mylanta. His problem was so very bad even the doctor remarked he had never seen this so bad before….IT WORKED….he was able to start to eat the very next day. It was a week until it all healed up!
Where I used to work we would recommend “BenMyTy” which is equal parts childrens benadryl mylanta and childrens tylenol. Mix and give 1tsp to swish and swallow. Everyone was sceptical but it works.
My husband’s doctor actually prescribed this for him, too, a while back. (And he told him to swallow it.) I’m pretty sure it had a third ingredient, but I don’t remember what. It was something OTC, too, though, not antibiotics or anything. I remember that, because hubby and I discussed the fact that he didn’t actually *need* a prescription for any of it.
I LOVE Milk of Magnesia! Even the 99 Cent Only brand is nothing but magnesium (a mineral), and water. It makes, and I kid you not, an absolutely amazing deodorant/antiperspirant! I pour out an old roll on chemical one (pop the ball out by using a thin butter knife), clean thoroughly, and then pour in MOM, and add 2 drops of essential oil sage (natural antiperspirant), and lavender (antibacterial). You could even add some tea tree if you like this smell. Magnesium inhibits fungus too, and MOM is often used successfully to treat thrush.
I have been doing natural remedies, laundry soaps, makeup, cleansers, lotions and potions for years now. I am 47, and am told I look 30. Got sick very young with Lyme Disease, and although I made it through, it made my immune system forever funky. I can now feel all the harmful chemicals we eat, breathe, and put our skin. I choose to see this sensitivity as a blessing, because it made me a regular little radar for keeping away from things that I knew were not good for the body. Just cause the average person can’t “feel” the toxicity of chemicals doesn’t mean they aren’t wreaking havoc on your body.
Golden rule for everyone. Always look for treatments and foods that are as natural as possible, and let your body heal on it’s own whenever possible. Nature still knows exactly what she’s doing better than science does.
Now – onto the noble fight against GMO food…..the worse attack of danger to our health in the name of profit yet! Don’t let genetically mutated cellular foods near you if possible! It has been shown to kill our bees (without them we have no food as they pollinate), and cause sterility. Can’t wash off a pesticide if it’s put INTO your fruits and vegis! Go organic until we bring Monsanto, and it’s sickly twisted greed DOWN. Europe has said hell NO to GMO. No society should have to worry about this kind of science controlling their food! I want to shop in peace!!! SAY HELL NO TO GMO!!!
Breathe deep, fret not, and live healthy everyone!
I was actually recommended to do this once as well. I get really bad mouth sores when I get sick, but when I ended up contracting Swine Flu I couldn’t actually close my mouth because of the pain. The sores covered my lips, made my gums swell, and covered my tongue. And that wasn’t even caused by the Swine Flu, just the fact that I was very sick. My doc recommended doing this. I thought she was crazy, but gave it a try. Ever since it has become my little miracle. I still get sores on my tongue, and sometimes they are in the most inconvenient spot. This mixture saves my butt every time!
Tetracycline is an antibiotic, not an anti-fungal or steroid.
Wow! Everyone knows more than the other!
Med school & license in medical profession are more experienced & knowledgable.
However, they are still perfecting meds & still finding horrible findings in them.
Back when mothers & caregivers had only to rely on natural items to give relief it was best. I’m sure it wasn’t
best for everyone because not all two people are the same!!! Remember we all relyed on home
remedies long before prescriptions!
This woman is only sharing information her Dr. gave and clearly states she is not a physician & to consult your physician!
Our mothers pass down information to is when we become mothers. & guess what I’m
Sure a good bit came from our childhood physicians as well!!
For cough. Take onion whole peel and place in microwave oven cook till juice is around onion in dish. Take out and mix regular sugar in juice till like a syrup. Cool and spoon feed a teaspoon about every 30minutes. Till cough stops
Milk of Magnesia has been used for decades on leg ulcers of diabetics. It is soothing for all kinds of topical treatment of skin and mucous membranes. It coats and protects.
This sounds great…apparently fresh pineapple juice does wonders similar to this. I suspect what p juice does though is actually kill the bacteria. The most potent antimicrobials are actually enzymes which pineapples have in spades. Your magic mix would complement this by taking care of the short term pain as well. 🙂
Great way to spread the good advice! A few scientific notes: Tetracycline is an intrinsic tooth stain so swishing it won’t do any damage. It is harmful if children ingest tetracycline, so good point! For the reader that swishes with Aspirin, putting aspirin directly on the mucosa of the mouth can cause chemical burns, if it’s really diluted with water it’s most likely fine but chemical burns are nasty so don’t chance it!
Maybe your throat still hurts becauseyou dont have a sore throat but swollen tonsils
Oh yea I work with drs officrs often and with medications and just because a medication is prescribed for one thing ask your pharmacist the same medication can be used for something totally diffrent and if they say no then ooops another contradiction, lfrom our medical profession, lol. Really I have the greatest respect for those in the medical field that are there because they care not Just to have a higher payig job. Thank you all for all the comments good or bad very informative, and to you heather for posting this im running to the store as soon as I leave work, ooops did I say I was at work, lol
My grandmother use to make something like this for toothaches and mouth pains. She called it her pink potion. I’m not sure what she mixed in it but old folks from the south sure have some amazing remedies.
Doctor just prescribed this for me today. Works like a charm! I’ve had strep multiple times and throat pain with every cold I’ve had but nothing ever seemed to work for me except for this!
I have terrible cold sores. hemoform serum works wonders. When applied everyday, the sores never get those ugly huge scabs. And the best part is they don’t hurt. I would highly recommend this to anyone who suffers with cold sores
Would this magic mouthwash help ease the pain of tooth cavities?
I don’t know – it’s more for surface area pain, not deep down inside pain. I would go see a dentist for that. 🙁
If the pain is from inside the tooth under the gums, I doubt it would help. That is a dental issue. 🙁
Thanks for sharing this. I recently had to start on a chemotherapy drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis that has left my mouth and throat full of painful sores. On top of already feeling miserable and being in pain, this throat pain was making me crazy. I’m a medical transcriptionist and have listened to reports for a decade with doctors recommending Magic Mouthwash but always with lidocaine. I was so desperate for relief today that I Googled to see if there were any ways to make it yourself at home and found your recipe. While I suspect it’s not working as well as it might with lidocaine it is having a lasting numbing effect that is helping me get my mind off my throat pain and on my work where it belongs. Thanks for sharing this–it was helpful to find this one since all the others recommended Maalox which we were unable to find, so it was nice to know that Milk of Magnesia would work as well. Anyway, you gave me a lot of relief today so THANK YOU! 🙂 Oh and PS –I only swallowed a tiny bit because I was worried about the Benadryl making me drowsy through my workday and also I didn’t do the salt water gargle beforehand but it still worked.
Same recipe, but add some liquid ambesol or other “-caine” medicine from the toothpaste aisle. Don’t swallow, but it numbs even more.
i came on here to see what would happen to my child if she swallowed ‘magic mouthwash…thank you for the ‘recipe’ so i kno how to make my own for next time but she doctor gave it to her for biting the sides of her tongue pretty bad…. i have to bottle handy and it says
(ingredients) – LIDOC 2% / DIPHEN / ANTAC = 1:1:1 … just for the record, she only swalled approx 1/2 tsp of the 1 tsp swishing dosage recommended so i was a wee worried considering the doctor told her/us not to swallow it….hank you for this post it’s been helpful and informative
How often should you gargle with MOM and Benadryl?
You should look at the instructions on the medicine bottles themselves (especially if you plan to swallow the medicine) and make sure you aren’t taking anything that might counteract with it (don’t take cold and flu meds and then also take and swallow the magic mouthwash because more than likely, you will be duplicating the benedryl). When in doubt, show the recipe to your pharmacist or call one and ask them to get specifics.
Took my son to the pediatrician today for mouth ulcers. Pediatrician prescribed this to us. Did the solution and my son said he can’t feel any pain so far.
My daughter was prescribed magic mouthwash when she was going through chemotherapy to help with mouth sores. She was lucky that she never got the sores and never needed to use it! BTW she has been cancer-free for almost 9 years and is considered cured! She had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when she was 19.