Thrush, also called oral candidiasis, is caused by a fungus that accumulates in the mouth, according to the Mayo Clinic, causing painful white lesions on the tongue, roof of the mouth and inside of the cheeks that sometimes bleed. Candida albicans inhabits the body, but good bacteria normally prevent it from causing an infection. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus, cancer or other conditions that weaken the immune system are more likely to contract thrush, as are babies and elderly people. Home remedies can be helpful, but health-care providers might need to prescribe an anti-fungal for moderate to severe cases.
Nutrition Therapy
A course of antibiotics might kill the friendly bacteria in your body that normally fight yeast infections. Eating yogurt or taking acidophilus capsules might be helpful in restoring these friendly bacteria, although they do not kill the fungus, notes the Mayo Clinic. Eating fresh garlic also might help kill the fungus, reports ProjectInform. Patients with weak immune systems, however, will probably need anti-fungal medications rather than nutrition therapy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene helps relieve the symptoms of thrush and prevent new outbreaks. You should brush twice a day and floss at least once. Rinsing the mouth with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution or warm salt water several times a day can relieve the discomfort of thrush, reports the National Institutes of Health. Patients with severe thrush or who have HIV or cancer might need to use prescription lozenges or anti-fungal mouthwashes for five to 10 days.
Limiting Certain Foods
Some foods and substances have been linked to candida growth. Limiting yeast and sugar as well as alcohol, which turns into sugar, might help to reduce yeast outbreaks, according to the Mayo Clinic. A diabetic with oral thrush might find that controlling her blood sugar clears the infection without the need for other treatments, reports NIH. For non-diabetics, limiting sugar and foods made with yeast might help because these foods might encourage candida to grow, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Cleaning with Vinegar
Nursing mothers with oral thrush should use breast pads to avoid spreading the infection to their clothing, notes the Mayo Clinic. The mother and baby will need to take medication as well to avoid passing the fungus back and forth. For bottle-fed babies with thrush, you should rinse pacifiers and nipples in a solution of vinegar and water and air dry them to avoid fungus growth, reports the Mayo Clinic. Detachable parts of breast pumps should be cleaned in the same way.
