What is Oral Thrush and How to Treat it?

Have you ever experienced an oral condition where a white rash appears in your mouth? If yes, and you’ve been wondering what exactly it is and the cause behind it, it is called Oral Thrush.

In this article, we shall discuss the symptoms, causes, and Ayurvedic Treatment of Oral Thrush. But before discussing the details of any of it, let’s first understand What is Oral Thrush.

Overview 

Also known as Oral Candidiasis, it is a condition caused by the Candida Albicans fungus on the lining of the mouth. It causes white-colored and creamy textured lesions on the inner cheek or the tongue. The infection may sometimes also spread as far as the back of the throat, tonsils, gums, or the roof of the mouth.

The condition isn’t severe and can be treated with medication and care. It usually occurs in children, infants, or elderly people with low immunity.

Symptoms of Oral Thrush

Common signs and symptoms of oral thrush may not even appear at the beginning of the condition. They only begin to show in the later stages and are different for the following group of people:

Adults and Children 

1. Cottage cheese-like appearing slightly raised lesions.
2. Severe redness, soreness, or burning might cause inconvenience in chewing and swallowing.
3. Slight bleeding of lesions when rubbed or scaled.
4. A stuffed cotton-like feeling inside the mouth.
5. Loss of taste.
6. Redness and cracking at the corners of the mouth.
7. Pain and redness under dentures.

Breastfeeding Mothers and Infants 

The infection may pass on from a baby to the mother during breastfeeding. The infection may then pass in a cycle between the mother’s breast and the baby’s mouth. A few common symptoms in babies and mothers include: 

1. Infants become extremely fussy and irritable.
2. In mothers, the nipples may become unusually red, chappy, cracked, or itchy.
3. Flaky- shiny skin around the areola. (the circular darker skin around the nipple)
4. Deep pain between the breasts.
5. Pain during nursing or while feeding.

Causes of Oral Thrush

Normally, an oral thrush infection takes hold when the protective mechanism of the immune system fails to maintain a balance between the good and bad microbes of the body, and the Candida Albicans increase in number.

This is the underlying cause behind the condition, whereas there are several different factors that increase the risk of contracting this infection, which include:

• Weakened immunity system.
• Other medical treatments that lower immunity such as cancer therapies.
• Diabetes.
• Vaginal Yeast Infection.
• Oral conditions such as wearing debentures or dry mouth.
• Medications or drugs that disturb the natural microorganism balance in the body. 

Treatment of Oral Thrush 

Ayurveda suggests various preventive measures, herbs, and home remedies for ayurvedic treatment of oral thrush. Let us take a look at a few of them:

Preventive Measures 

• Brush your teeth twice a day, rinse your mouth every time you eat, and floss daily.
• Try and limit the amount of sugar you consume as it promotes the growth of candida.
• Vaginal yeast infection if any, must be treated immediately.
• Blood sugar levels must be controlled to reduce the amount of sugar in saliva which helps in controlling the growth of candida.
• See your dentist regularly, especially if you wear dentures or are diabetic.

Home Remedies 

• Yogurt: The good bacteria present in the probiotic yogurt help in treating oral thrush. The soft texture of yogurt also helps in easy swallowing and helps avoid the pain caused by chewing during oral conditions.
• Lemon Juice: The antiseptic and antifungal properties present in lime juice help in fighting against the candida fungus. A mixture of warm water combined with the juice of half a lemon may either be drunk or used to rinse the mouth to cure oral thrush.
• Salt-Water: The soothing, cleansing and antiseptic properties of salt make it a wonderful home remedy for a number of oral problems. Rinsing your mouth with the salt-water solution can show effective results.
• Turmeric: The yellow pigment found in turmeric is called curcumin which is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties. It is anti-fungal against Candida and is known to provide relief from oral thrush. Golden milk, prepared by combining ¼-½ tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper, and milk must be taken daily and swished around the mouth to observe the best results.
• Clove Oil: Clove oil is widely used in dentistry as an antiseptic and pain reliever. A clove mouth rinse may be prepared by combining 1tsp of ground clove powder with boiling water. This solution must be used as a mouth rinse at least twice per day.

Conclusion

So, all the preventive measures and home remedies suggested above will help you in aiding your oral condition. In case you require further or personal assistance, you may contact us at IAFA® where we provide expert and advanced Ayurvedic treatment measures to cure various ailments and conditions naturally.