How to Cure Oral Thrush Naturally

Oral thrush, or Candida, is a yeast infection that occurs in the mouth. It is often seen in nursing infants, especially when the mother has thrush. It is also common when people take antibiotics and some other medications. There are many ways to cure oral thrush naturally.

Avoidance of sugar

Some people who have very minor cases of thrush can cure them by avoiding sugary foods. Yeast feeds on sugar, so the thought is that by eliminating sugar from the diet, there is no food to help the yeast grow. When the infection is gone, patients can resume eating foods that contain sugar.

Salt water rinses

Rinsing with salt water, usually 1 teaspoon per 4 ounces of water, can help to clear up the infection. The patient should rinse at least three times a day, keeping the mixture in the mouth for a few minutes at a time. It is important not to rinse the mouth afterwards, as the residual salt can still kill yeast.

Gentian violet and grapefruit seed extract

Grapefruit seed extract is another popular home remedy for curing oral thrush. It typically comes in liquid form, and about 10 drops are added to 1 ounce of water. The mixture is then swabbed inside the mouth to coat the areas that are afflicted with thrush. Gentian violet is another natural remedy that is mixed with water and swabbed inside the mouth.

Other tips

Eating a lot of probiotics, such as yogurts with active cultures, while on antibiotics can help to prevent the development of oral thrush. A nursing mother should treat herself for thrush if her child has this condition. Otherwise, they might pass the thrush back and forth continuously. With treatment, thrush usually clears up within a week.

It is often possible to cure oral thrush without resorting to the use of medications. Patients can try various natural remedies that sometimes clear up the problem quickly.