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Home Remedies For Thrush

Thrush after cancer treatment?
(24 Mar 2009)

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Thrush is a medical condition caused by the yeast known as Candida and affects the mouth. It is usually caused when the immune system is weak, which is why those commonly affected are infants whose immune system has not yet fully developed, or elderly people whose immune system has started becoming weak due to increasing age. However thrush can affect anybody whose immune system has been weakened due to several medical conditions such as diabetes, vaginal yeast infections, chronic Mucocutaneous candidiasis and HIV or AIDS.

It is also very common after cancer treatments, since the radiotherapy and chemotherapy usually leaves the immune system weak. Thrush manifests itself in the form of white patches or lesions which appear in the mouth and on the tongue and the inner lining of the cheeks. These are obviously very painful and can cause extreme difficulty in eating and swallowing food.

If aggravated, the infection can also affect the tonsils, gums and back of the throat. Since thrush can last from a few weeks up to a month, it is important to find simple home remedies that can reduce the pain and discomfort associated with the condition.

Oral hygiene is crucial in controlling the condition and also preventing frequent relapses. You should ensure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day. Floss your teeth regularly to ensure that there are no food particles that have remained lodged between your teeth and also to prevent the build-up of plaque. Always change your toothbrush once the thrush has completely healed, to avoid recontamination. You should also avoid using mouthwash during the infection since it kills the natural flora in your mouth that helps to heal thrush. Apart from this, you can resort to several home remedies to reduce the intensity of the infection. You can rinse your mouth twice or thrice a day using 1 cup of warm water with ½ tsp salt dissolved in it. You can also make an effective anti-fungal mouthwash by mixing warm water, cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. If your throat has also been affected you can also gargle twice or thrice a day using this mixture, to soothe the pain and speed up the treatment. Another effective natural mouthwash can be prepared by mixing liquorice, myrrh and Echinacea in equal proportions. You can take 1 tsp of this tincture to rinse your mouth every three to four hours. Make sure that you swirl it around properly so that it reaches all the corners of your mouth. Apart from this, you should increase your consumption of yoghurt since it encourages the growth of healthy bacteria in the system, which help to fight the yeast infection. Garlic and onion can also help to eliminate the growth of yeast and heal the lesions inside your mouth.

answered by M W on 24 Mar 2009, 2:23:56

Home Remedies For Thrush

Thrush after cancer treatment? (24 Mar 2009)

Thrush after cancer treatment?
(24 Mar 2009)