Remedies for Thrush

Thrush is a fungal infection that usually occurs in the mouth, though it is not limited to just the mouth and may be found in other parts of the body too. The infection is caused by a fungus or yeast called candida. Minute amounts of candida are found in the mouth nearly all the time, but their spread is kept in check by the body’s immune system and by other helpful local microorganisms in the mouth.


When the candida flourish unchecked, it can lead to thrush and show up as lesions or whitish sores in the mouth and tongue. Infants and babies below six months are often victims of thrush, though it may occur among the elderly and those who have weakened immune systems.

Signs and symptoms of thrush include cracked skin on the corners of the mouth and white lesions on the inner cheeks, in the mouth, and on the tongue. The red tissue below the lesions may bleed even while brushing the teeth unless a soft brush is used. In fact, using a soft brush and rinsing the mouth with a very dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide is recommended as one of the home remedies of thrush in adults. Cures for thrush in the mouth, be it in adults or babies, are generally anti-fungal mouthwashes prescribed by the dentist or a doctor. Home remedies for thrush in adults and infants include consuming yoghurt as the live lactobacillus in yoghurt helps to control the growth of candida. A breast fed infant with oral thrush may infect the mother’s nipple too. Applying yoghurt with a cotton swab or ball on the insides of the infant’s cheeks and on the nipple will stop the spread of the infection. Another option is to dab a solution of a spoonful of vinegar in a cup of water with a cotton swab on the nipples. In such cases, the mother should remember to clean the nipples well with water before nursing the infant. In case of bottle fed infants, sterilizing the bottle nipples or discarding old nipples and using fresh ones as the infection begins to clear may be a good idea. A solution made with one spoonful of baking soda in a glass of water can be used to swab the insides of the baby’s mouth to get rid of thrush.

Among the types of thrush that affect infants oral thrush and yeast infection diaper rash are the most common. The yeast infection diaper rash is unlike other diaper rashes that can be seen in the folds of the skin. Thighs, abdomen, genitals and genital creases may be affected. Anti-fungal creams need to be applied with every diaper change. Home treatment for thrush in babies includes applying olive oil over the rash and in the folds of the skin. Cocoa butter mixed with olive oil can also be applied four times a day. Corn starch may be used in place of talcum powder to keep the area dry. Petroleum jelly can be soothing on chaffed skin with the rash. Home remedies for thrush in adults and infants may be found in the garden with plantain seeds. The soft gel from soaked plantain seeds should be spread on the area of the rash and allowed to dry.

When dealing with any kind of diaper rash, it is important to remember that wet diapers have to be changed frequently as moisture can aggravate the rash. It has been noted that babies who wore diapers only for short periods of time have fewer diaper rashes than those who wore diapers all the time. Air drying the genital area and letting the baby go without a diaper or using a cloth diaper for as long as possible are ways to avoid diaper rash of any kind.

One of the simplest remedies for thrush involves dissolving a human probiotic mixture (acidophilus, lactobacillus, bifido bacteria etc.) in a little water, swishing and holding the mixture in the mouth and then swallowing.