Oral Thrush usually occurs in toddlers and babies, but adults of all ages can get it, particularly during their weak immunity.
Thrush is a fungal infection (Candida) of the mouth. It is also called oral candidosis. It can spread to the other parts of the body in different forms such as diaper rash infection in children and vaginal yeast infection in women.
Typical symptoms of oral thrush include, white coating on the tongue, inner cheeks, inside the lips and over the gums.
Most of the time natural remedies for oral thrush will effectively work, but if the condition prevails for more than a week then medical attention is required.
Our body is full of microorganisms and bacteria to maintain balance of good health. Candida fungus also is present in the mouth, digestive tracts and skin and is balanced by other good bacteria to keep our body healthy.
Occasionally, when the immunity of the body is low, growth of Candida flares up causing mouth thrush and other fungal infection of the skin. Some steroids, antibiotics and birth control pills kill the useful microorganism in the body also can flare up Candida infection.
In the severe cases of mouth thrush, it can pain and bleed. If left unattended it can spread to the esophagus causing fungal throat infection.
Fungal infection of the throat makes it very difficult to swallow and painful to eat food. The taste of the food also changes.
Oral Thrush Remedies for Babies, Toddlers and Adults
In case of the babies, breast feeding mothers have to take extra precautions for their personal hygiene, specifically keeping the breast and nipples clean. Always use nursing pads, preferably disposable pads. If they are not disposable type, then keep them clean with hot water washing and rinsing.
Apply yogurt swab, white vinegar swab or dilute baking soda swab on the nipple area to keep it Candida free. You can also apply these swabs on the tongue of the babies.
Second important precaution is a common sense. One has to realize that the baby’s tongue is a delicate body part under formation like the rest of the body. Therefore, don’t scrap baby’s tongue. It can damage baby’s tongue mucosa.
While the objective of treatment is to get rid of a condition, some times instant relief is also important to reduce the pain. So, both the pain relief and treatment should simultaneously be used.
Here are some instant relief methods for both infants and adults before we get into the use remedies to cure oral thrush.
- Drink cold water, frozen juices, iced teas etc
- Eat food that are easy to swallow such as custards and ice creams
- Drink with the help of a straw, if the swallowing is very difficult.
1. Coconut Oil for Thrush
Swab the tongue with pure virgin coconut oil. A specific active compound caprylic acid in coconut oil helps to get rid of Candida infection.
2. Wipe the Oral Trash with Baking Soda
Mix one teaspoon of baking soda in 8 ounces of water to dilute the baking soda. Wipe this solution inside the mouth to cover tongue, cheeks and gums.
In case of infants do it immediately after the breast feeding. Apply it on the nipple area also.
Adults should use it 3-4 times a day.
3. Apply Grapefruit Seed Extract on the Thrush
Grapefruit seed extract is a potent antimicrobial compound to treat to treat all kings of fungal, bacterial and viral infections.
Add 2 drops of the seed extract on one teaspoon clean filtered or distilled water. Coat it on the white patches of the oral trash.
Adults can use higher concentrations of the grapefruit seed extract.
4. Eat Yogurt or Buttermilk for Mouth Thrush
The probiotic friendly bacteria in yogurt are very strong contenders to fight Candida fungus of the thrush.
The best way to use yogurt is to eat it slowly. Keep a teaspoon of unsweetened unflavored organic yogurt in your mouth. Let it stay for 30 seconds on your tongue before swallowing it. Consume 3-4 teaspoon in the same way in one sitting.
In fact, if you make it a habit of eating 200gm of yogurt every day, then you will save yourself not only from oral thrush but a lot of other digestive problems.
5. Sauropus Androgynus Juice for Oral Thrush
Sauropus androgynus, also known as star gooseberry or sweet leaf, is a powerful antifungal agent.
Take handful of leaves. Wash them clean in hot water and make a paste in a grinder or by any other method of your choice.
Take a clean towel and dip an end of the towel in the Sauropus androgynus paste/juice and swab it on the tongue thrush. 3-4 time a day is good for the thrush to vanish within 2-3 days.
6. Plantain Seed Gel for Oral Thrush
Soak a tablespoon of plantain seeds in a cup of water. They will swell by the morning. Grind the swollen seeds to make a gel or paste. Apply on the thrush on the tongue, inside the cheeks and gums.
Wash and clean your mouth after 30 minutes with salt water rinse.
7. Boric Acid Mouthwash for Thrush
This is obviously for the adults as the infants can’t do the conventional mouthwash. Add half a teaspoon of boric acid powder to a cup of warm water. Mix it well and use it as a mouthwash. Do it 2 times a day.
8. Essential Oils for Oral Thrush
Use these oils for adults only. The best way to use them is with the tooth brushing activity. Any one of the clove, oregano, lavender or tea tree oils can be used.
Mix a couple of drops of one of these essential oils to your toothpaste. Use the toothbrush to not only brush on your teeth, but on your tongue and inside of the cheeks also.
You can also add a couple of drops of one of the oils in a cup of water and use it as a mouthwash.
Twice a day should suffice.
9. Apple Cider Vinegar for Mouth Thrush
Use Apple Cider Vinegar mouthwash to maintain your oral hygiene as well as to get rid of the oral thrush.
Add a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in a cup of water. Mix it well and gargle with the solution. If you do it 2-3 times a day you will be free of oral thrush with 3 days.
10. Warm Saltwater Rinses for Thrush
This is a common mouth rinse and you perhaps would have used it for your sore throat or cough.
Add half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and gargle with it.
11. Green Tea for Oral Thrush
Green tea remedy for thrush can be used for both infants and adults.
Boil green tea leaves in a cup full of water. Let the tea cool down to a temperature which is warm enough to accept by the tongue. Apply it by a cotton swab on the tongue of the infant or adult.
12. Add Garlic and Onions In Your Diet
Both Garlic and Onion possess anti-fungal properties. Add them to your daily diet. This is a slow process of dealing with oral thrush but is one of the best home remedies for oral thrush in the long run.
Preventing oral thrush
Prevention is better than cure. We know it but usually forget it. If you take the following precautions, you can avoid getting oral thrush. Most of them are oral hygiene advice.
- Brush your teeth and floss twice a day. Clean your gums and tongue regularly
- Rinse your mouth after every food intake and meals
- Don’t eat or drink too much of sugar
- Keep your diabetes under control if you are diabetic.
- Wash and clean your dentures thoroughly after every meal and remove them during the night.
- Visit your dentist regularly
- Stop smoking, if you are a smoker
With proper preventive measures and early treatment you can be clear of oral thrush. If none of the above works, then you must consult your doctor.