Home Remedies for Thrush
Thrush is another term for a yeast infection, especially yeast infections in infants. However, anyone can develop a thrush infection, particularly if they are on antibiotics, eat a lot of yeast foods, or have a compromised immune system.
Thrush in an infant can be upsetting, but there are several ways to treat it without a trip to the doctor’s office. First and foremost, be sure to keep the baby’s mouth clean and prevent transfer of thrush back and forth during feedings by thoroughly cleansing your nipples (if you’re breastfeeding) or sterilizing bottles (if you’re bottle feeding).
Infants Home Remedy for Thrush
Once you see the tell-tale signs of thrush in your baby (white patches on the tongue, cheeks and roof of the mouth, sometimes accompanied by redness), you will need to treat it several times a day consistently until it has cleared up. To be sure it doesn’t recur, you should continue with treatment for several days afterward as well.
Gentian Violet is a solution that can be purchased at any drugstore (ask for it at the counter). Using a cotton swab, thoroughly coat the inside of the baby’s mouth, and use it on the nipples before nursing. Be careful! This stuff stains like crazy, so wear an old bra and top when using it.
You can also combine ten drops of grapefruit seed oil with ten drops of liquid Stevia extract (a natural sweetener) to create a home remedy for thrush that won’t stain. You can paint the inside of the baby’s mouth with this twice a day.
Psyllium seeds may be soaked overnight in water so that they form a gel when swollen with moisture. This gel is very effective as a thrush remedy, and doesn’t stain; it also has very little taste and, because it is a gel, tends to stay on the areas of thrush better.
Home Remedies for Adult Thrush
Adults sometimes develop thrush because of antibiotic use or a prolonged illness that has suppressed the immune system. If you’ve developed thrush, be sure to keep the mouth as clean as possible. Breaking open a few acidophilus tablets each day and dabbing the powder on the pockets of thrush can clear up the problem within a few days.
Tea tree oil that is diluted in water makes an effective gargle, as does a mixture of one teaspoon baking soda in a fifty-fifty solution of water and hydrogen peroxide. Gargle morning and evening and after each meal, if possible. Since thrush thrives in moist environments, be sure to throw away your toothbrush and get a new one any time you’ve recovered from a thrush problem. This will keep recontamination to a minimum.
There are two kitchen staples that you can use to treat thrush easily – garlic and onions. Both of these have antibacterial qualities that help stabilize the bacteria levels in your body and mouth. Try adding garlic and onions to your food for protection against thrush as well as a quicker healing time when you do get it.