Dental care is an essential part of our life. Along with skin and hair, one has to take care of their dental hygiene too. However, many individuals believe that brushing our teeth is the key to achieve the goal of proper dental hygiene. But, one has to take regular dental checkups and floss along with that. Every part of your mouth is very delicate and needs to be handled gently. Sometimes, have you noticed white or yellow patches and bumps on your inner cheeks or tongue? Well, this is called Oral thrush. Oral thrush is when a yeast infection develops inside your mouth. In early stages, the symptoms are not very evident but they develop as the infection gets worse. Medically, it is also called oral candidiasis or oropharyngeal candidiasis. Oral thrush is most commonly seen in infants. These bumps mostly go away with proper care and treatment. In fact, there are natural remedies to try at home to get rid of thrush. Hence, read on to know about these at home solutions for Oral thrush.
Oral thrush home remedies
Oral thrush gets developed due to the fungus called Candida albicans. Other than the normal amount of albicans in your mouth, they can be harmful if your immune system is not working properly. In order to avoid yeast infections, the good bacteria has to keep them from harming your body. Moreover, diabetic patients are also at a higher risk of getting this yeast infection. Here are 10 home remedies for the treatment of oral thrush:
1. Baking soda
Baking soda is known to be a good way for cleaning your teeth, resulting in preventing and treating yeast infections too. In fact, you can also buy a toothpaste that contains baking soda. The process for that is to apply baking soda on the affected area for about 3-4 minutes and then brush or rinse it off gently. You can also add a pinch of baking soda in your toothpaste and clean the mouth normally. Another way is to add it to water and make a solution for rinsing your mouth. You can do this twice a day for good results.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric is used as a home remedy for many purposes. It is also beneficial to treat various types of infections. It contains a compound called curcumin that gives the yellow colour to it. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory antifungal properties present in it, that can help in treating oral thrush by fighting with the Candida ablicans. You can apply turmeric powder on the infected area or rinse your mouth with a turmeric and water solution. Use this natural remedy twice a day to make your fungal infections better and avoid other infections in future.
Also read: What Happens if a Yeast Infection is left Untreated?
3. Yogurt
Yogurt is one of the best probiotic foods and probiotics are good bacteria that help in improving your health and overcoming many illnesses as well as infections. It makes your immune system stronger to combat oral thrush or any kind of infection. You can include milk or yogurt in your morning diet. Having yogurt will give a cool and soothing effect on the affected area and will treat it quickly. You can place a tablespoon of yogurt in your mouth for 5 minutes for effective results.
4. Saltwater
Lukewarm saltwater gargles is a natural remedy that comes first in your mind for any dental or throat problem. Salt has antifungal and antibacterial properties present in it, that are beneficial to treat yeast or other infections. Salt helps in getting rid of the fungus that causes oral thrush. Just put half teaspoon of salt in half cup of warm water and gargle it out for a few minutes. You can even take in the the last sip of that water. Try this thrice a day, and wait for impressive results in a few days.
5. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is also one of the most popular remedies that is used for dental care. It is known to have antifungal properties that help in fighting oral thrush. Drinking it daily is a good way for your dental hygiene too. You can get rid of yeast infection by using apple cider vinegar faster than other treatments. Moreover, you can mix it with yogurt for more effective results. Just apply it on your the infected area using a cotton ball. Leave it for about 15-20 minutes and then wash it off. Or, drink it daily mixed with a little honey and warm water.
6. Lemon juice
Lemon juice is contains antiseptic and antifungal properties that help in combating the fungus that causes thrush. Moreover, it is acidic and is beneficial in eradicating the infection of oral thrush. Just take a glass of water and squeeze half lemon in it. Drink this atleast once a day regularly for atleast a week and you will start observing the difference. The recovery from yeast infections is higher if you use this natural remedy.
7. Cranberry juice
Just like lemon juice, cranberry juice is also acidic in nature and is loaded with nutrients. It develops an acidic environment in your mouth and kicks the fungi out quickly. In fact, cranberries have proanthocyanidins compound that has anti-adherence properties that have the adherence of albicans inside your mouth. Therefore, cranberries are a wise option for treating oral thrush. Unsweetened cranberry juice is a useful remedy for many infections and beneficial for your overall health too.
Also read: Good Oral Hygiene Practices According to Your Age
8. Tea tree oil
Tea tree also contains beneficial antibacterial and antiseptic properties that are a bane for combating fungal and yeast infections. It is an essential oil that can help in treating oral thrush. Always remember that you have to clean your mouth with water before applying any type of oil. Take a few drops of tea tree oil and mix it with water. Now, rinse this solution in your mouth for a few minutes. In fact, you can apply it on the infected area and mix it with a carrier oil. Do this atleast once a day, everyday for a week to get better results.
9. Garlic
Interestingly, even garlic has useful properties to treat oral thrush. Garlic fights the spreading of infections and helps in reducing the symptoms too. You can make a paste out of garlic and apply it on the affected area for improvement. It is also advised to chew a piece of garlic as it is very strong and can provide effective results. Garlic contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that can even help in reducing the inflammation. You can mix the garlic paste with other useful home remedies like coconut oil.
10. Vitamin C
The last remedy is Vitamin C, be it supplements or natural intake. This vitamin is known to boost your immunity, that further helps in fighting harmful bacteria. This strengthening helps in staying protected from unnecessary infections entering our body. Vitamin C consumption is one of the best ways to stay healthy and treat oral thrush. Basically, vitamin C is a natural antioxidant and is acidic, that increases the production of stomach acids, that stops the overgrowth of the bacteria in your mouth. Take vitamin C capsules only according to the recommendation of a medical professional.
Also read: 5 Reasons Why Regular Tongue Cleaning Is A Must Apart From Brushing Teeth
Tips to prevent oral thrush
Even before getting this infection, one can take precautionary measures daily for routine dental care. Therefore, to avoid any infection or serious complications, here are some tips to prevent oral thrush:
1. Brush your teeth and clean tongue with a tongue cleaner atleast twice a day to ensure good dental care
2. Flossing can also help in maintaining dental hygiene
3. Visit the dentist for treatment and keep going for regular dental checkups
4. Use a mouthwash to keep your mouth clean
These were the natural remedies to get rid of oral thrush. There's still time to take care of your oral hygiene and avoid the whole risk of this yeast infection by making some good habits. Even if you take safety measures for prevention at home, it is also important to visit your dentist for dental checkup.
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