Which Thrush Treatment is Best?

If you, or your child, is suffering from oral thrush, you’ll want to arm yourself with good information about the best thrush treatment and prevent it from recurring.  Before discussing the different treatment options for thrush and the relative benefits of each one, let’s take a moment to review the signs and symptoms of oral thrush.

Oral thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth that is most common in babies and toddlers, and in elderly adults and those with weakened immune systems.  Symptoms of oral thrush include irritated, painful swelling in the mouth and mucosal tissues, accompanied by patches of white lesions with the consistency of cottage cheese.  These soft lesions can be scraped away to reveal the red, irritated tissue beneath.  The lesions may bleed slightly when the white patches are removed.

Breastfeeding mothers are also susceptible to breast infections from thrush, since the fungal infection can be easily passed back and forth between mother and baby.  This is why it’s important to treat both mother and baby to prevent future recurrence of infection.

There are a variety of conventional treatments for thrush, as well as many natural remedies that can help get rid of active thrush infections, and serve to prevent future infections.  Very mild cases of thrush will sometimes resolve on their own, but most infections do require some sort of thrush treatment.

The most common oral thrush treatment is prescription anti-fungal medication that can be taken in tablet, lozenge, or liquid form.  In some cases, thrush can become resistant to these medications, requiring the use of stronger, alternative medications.  This type of resistance is most common in immunocompromised people, especially those with HIV.  Ampohtericin B is commonly prescribed when other oral thrush treatment medications prove ineffective.

Doctors also commonly recommend eating unsweetened yogurt with active cultures.  The cultures are known as probiotics, and can help restore natural bacteria that fight yeast.  Quality probiotic supplements in capsule or powder form can also be purchased in the refrigerated section of most health food stores.  It’s important to buy only quality, refrigerated probiotic products, since the cultures require refrigeration to remain active.

Natural treatments for thrush include proper hygiene, dietary modifications, eating specific foods and herbs with anti-fungal properties, and applying gentian violet directly to the infection to kill the yeast organisms.

Hygienic measures include maintaining good oral health through daily brushing and flossing.  Though it may seem counterintuitive, mouthwashes should be avoided, since they may also kill harmful bacteria that keep yeast in check.  A tongue scraper can be used to remove the fungal infection (the white cream-cheese like patches in the mouth), provided the infection isn’t too painful.

A whole foods diet that emphasizes vegetables, legumes, lean protein, and a moderate amounts of whole grain can also keep thrush in check.  A daily serving of yogurt with active probiotic cultures is also helpful.  Sugary foods, alcohol, yeast-containing foods (bread, for example), and refined carbohydrates should be avoided.

Oregano oil drops and raw garlic also have powerful anti-fungal properties.  For natural thrush treatment, 10 drops per day of oregano oil is recommended.  A raw garlic clove can also be chewed, or held in the mouth for several minutes.

A 1% solution of gentian violet can be used as a highly effective remedy for oral thrush in babies, children, and adults.  This solution can sometimes be purchased at a typical pharmacy, but is more likely to be available at a health food store.  To treat a baby, simply dip a cotton swab in the solution and allow the baby to suck on the swab for a few seconds.  Nursing babies should then be put to the breast.  If the baby’s mouth and the mother’s breasts are purple, then the treatment has been adequately applied.  This can be repeated once per day for four days.  Children and adults can simply swab the mouth the gentian violet solution.  It should be noted that this is a messy treatment and may sometimes stain clothing.

The best treatment for oral thrush really depends upon the severity of the symptoms, and the condition and age of the affected person.  For severe, acute symptoms, prescription medication may be the best option.  This is also true for those with severely weakened immune systems who might be at risk for serious systemic infection without conventional medical treatment.  For breastfeeding mothers and babies, and mild to moderate cases of oral thrush, natural treatments are safe and effective.

Signs and Symptoms of Yeast Overgrowth

Though yeast organisms usually reside harmlessly in the gut and on the skin of most healthy people, sometimes the delicate balance of bacteria that keeps yeast in check can be upset, resulting in yeast overgrowth.  This overgrowth of yeast may result in acute or generalized infection, also known as candidiasis.  Candidiasis is named after the species of Candida fungal organisms that most often cause yeast infections.

Yeast overgrowth can result from a variety of different factors.  Poor diet, certain medications, stress, and certain illnesses may predispose people to yeast overgrowth, which is becoming increasingly common.

A diet that is high in sugars, and food containing yeast like breads and fermented alcohol, may feed yeast overgrowth.  Medications that upset hormonal balance – especially hormonal birth control – may play a role, as do broad spectrum antibiotics.  While antibiotics work to kill harmful infection-causing bacteria, they also kill beneficial bacteria that keep yeast in check.

Stress weakens the immune system and predisposes people to yeast overgrowth.  This can actually happen quite quickly, bringing on sudden symptoms of yeast infection or yeast overgrowth.  This is the same mechanism that causes some people to break out in cold sores when under stress – stress reduces immune function, causing latent infection to emerge.  In the case of yeast, this weakened immune function can no longer keep yeast growth under control.  Chronic illnesses like diabetes, HIV, and cancer also predispose people to yeast overgrowth.

Many people with yeast overgrowth may display only generalized symptoms.  Most commonly, these are fatigue and a feeling of “cloudiness” that makes it difficult to think well and focus.  Muscle cramping, aches, and pains can also result from yeast toxins released from the gut into the bloodstream.  Gastrointestinal symptoms are very common, resulting in cramping, diarrhea (or constipation followed by sudden diarrhea), and abdominal pain.

These symptoms form part of a complex of symptoms collectively termed chronic candidiasis.  There is controversy in conventional medicine about whether this syndrome really exists.  Theories surrounding chronic candidiasis were popularized by William Cook, MD in his book “The Yeast Connection”.  Dr. Cook described a complex of symptoms caused or exacerbated by antibiotics, oral contraceptives, hormonal changes of pregnancy, and the consumption of sugary and yeast containing foods.  While the medical debate rages on, countless people have indeed experienced these symptoms and found relief in treating the root causes of yeast overgrowth.

Other generalized symptoms of yeast overgrowth include the same symptom patterns as those found in people with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and other types of allergic and inflammatory respiratory conditions, like asthma.  These symptoms may result from long term yeast overgrowth the infiltrates that throat, lungs, and nasal mucosa.

In addition to chronic candidiasis syndrome, yeast overgrowth can also result in acute yeast infections.  The most common of these are vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush, and topical (skin) yeast infections.  Symptoms of vaginal yeast infection include painful redness and itching of vaginal tissues, and an unpleasant-smelling, cottage-cheese like discharge from the vagina.  Oral thrush is characterized by white patches in the mouth that have a cream cheese consistency and reveal patches of red or bleeding tissue when scraped away.  Topical yeast infections are common where skin remains moist and warm, providing ideal conditions for yeast overgrowth.  Fungal rashes in the groin area, beneath the breasts, and diaper rashes in babies can result from yeast overgrowth.