If you find that you have oral thrush, you will need to treat it immediately. There are many ways to treat oral thrush, both with home remedies and medical treatment. Scroll to Step 1 to learn how you can treat an oral thrush infection. If you want to know how to diagnose oral thrush and what symptoms to look out for, read another article.
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Method 1 of 2: Treating Oral Candidiasis at Home
If you want to try treating oral thrush at home instead of a prescription from your doctor, there are several methods you can use. Make sure you check with your doctor if the methods you try don't give any results after two days, or if you're not sure that your disease is oral thrush.
Step 1. Take probiotics
Taking probiotics (healthy bacteria) can help cure oral thrush, as healthy bacteria suppress invading fungi and restore normal balance to the mucous membranes. Look for a probiotic supplement that contains at least five billion CFU (colony forming units) per dose, and take it two to three times a day.
If the sufferer is an infant or young child, you can open the capsule and sprinkle it on the child's food, or make a paste out of the powder in the capsule and rub it in the baby's mouth
Step 2. Eat yogurt
You can also get probiotics from fermented foods such as yogurt, although the dosage will be much lower and may be less effective; choose unsweetened yogurt, as sugar will cause Candida to grow faster. Eat yogurt once or twice a day. Make sure you eat slowly and leave a spoonful of yogurt in your mouth as close to the lesion as possible for about 30 seconds before swallowing it.
Step 3. Use homemade mouthwash
There are several different types of mouthwash you can try to treat oral thrush. The instructions are the same for all types--gargle-gargle the solution in your mouth two to four times a day, then spit it out. These mouthwashes include:
- Brine: 1/2 tsp salt in 237 ml water.
- Apple cider vinegar: 1 tbsp vinegar in 237 ml water.
- Tea tree oil: a few drops of oil in 237 ml of water.
- Boric acid: tsp in 237 ml of water. Be absolutely sure that you do not swallow this solution at all.
Step 4. Try gentian violet to cure oral thrush
An older treatment for oral candidiasis is a dye called gentian violet. A doctor's prescription is not required to purchase gentian violet. Take a small amount of gentian violet with a cotton swab and apply a thin layer on the infected area. One treatment should be enough. Since gentian violet is a dye, be careful not to get it on clothes or other things you don't want to stain; wear gloves when handling gentian violet and keep it away from the lips, as the skin will temporarily stain purple.
Use this treatment in consultation with a doctor, as it can cause ulcers in the mouth, and has been linked to oropharyngeal cancer in recent studies
Step 5. Treat candidiasis if your baby passes it on to you
If candidiasis occurs in a nursing infant, the mother may develop a Candida infection around the nipple. In this case, the nipple will usually be red, crusty, and itchy, and can be painful while breastfeeding. Two ways to treat this infection include:
- Nystatin cream: This may be prescribed by the doctor treating the mother; The usual dose is two to three times per day.
- Vinegar solution: Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar in 237 ml of water; white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used. Apply the solution on the nipples after each feeding and let it dry on its own.
Step 6. Replace any objects that may have been in your mouth when you have oral thrush
It is important to sanitize or replace objects that may have entered the mouth to prevent oral candidiasis from reappearing. Replace the toothbrush (or brush head, if using an electric toothbrush) with a new one. If wearing dentures, soak them overnight in a denture cleaning solution.
For babies, boil things like pacifiers and pacifiers that are used in the mouth. Wash all cutlery in hot water (above 50 degrees Celsius), and don't share used cutlery with family members
Method 2 of 2: Treating Oral Candidiasis with Medical Treatment
Doctors and dentists can generally diagnose oral thrush just by looking at the lesions inside your mouth. However, some doctors may still perform a mouth swab examination. If you find that you have oral thrush, your doctor will usually prescribe one of the following.
Step 1. Use miconazole gel
Miconazole gel is currently available over the counter to treat oral thrush. The most common brand of miconazole is Daktarin mouth gel. Extra caution should be considered before starting miconazole treatment for people with liver problems, pregnant and lactating women, and infants under 6 months of age.
Apply a pea-sized amount of gel directly to the lesion. If you don't know how to use the gel properly, read the instructions that came with the product
Step 2. Use a nystatin mouthwash
Nystatin is a drug that helps cure yeast infections and growths. Gargle the medicine in your mouth for a few minutes three to five times per day, then swallow it to clear your throat and esophagus.
Step 3. Kulum lozenge prescribed by a doctor
Nystatin or clotrimazole can also be used in the form of a troche (a lozenge that dissolves in the mouth). Allow the lozenge to dissolve in your mouth, rolling it slowly so that it makes contact with the entire surface of your mouth. Make sure you swallow periodically to clear any infection in your throat.
Whether it's a mouthwash or lozenge, continue using it for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have subsided
Step 4. Start taking pills from your doctor's prescription
If mouthwash or lozenges don't work for oral thrush, or if the infection has spread beyond the mouth, you will need to take pills to cure the infection. The oral treatments prescribed are usually fluconazole or echinocandins. The drug chosen by the doctor depends on the type of Candida and the individual condition of the patient (how severe the disease is, whether there are other diseases, allergies, and other factors).
- Fluconazole is usually prescribed as a 400 mg pill; two grains are consumed on the first day, then one per day after that.
- Echinocandin is prescribed as caspofungin at a dose of 70 mg on the first day, then 50 mg daily; or, anidulafungin at a dose of 200 mg on the first day, then 100 mg daily.
Step 5. Talk to your doctor about which treatment you want to start with
Some doctors will start by prescribing pills to give the patient the quickest and surest treatment; talk to your doctor about your options if ingestion is prescribed but you want to try other methods first.
Tips
Don't share anything that may have been in or near your mouth with anyone else
Warning
- If you take medication and the infection does not improve, see a doctor immediately.
- If you've tried home remedies and the infection doesn't seem to get better within two days, see a doctor right away.
