Thrush Treatment
Natural and Home Remedies for Thrush Treatment
Thrush treatment basically depends on how bad the thrush is and how long it has been going on. While there are prescriptions that are available to help clear up thrush, there are also some natural treatments and home remedies available for thrush treatment as well.
Thrush is basically a candida yeast infection. It usually shows up in the mouths of infants, as well as in their breastfeeding mothers. Although it's not necessarily dangerous, it can worsen and cause discomfort if it's not treated properly.
Grapefruit seed extract is one substance that could be useful in fighting thrush. It is a very strong antimicrobial substance and is able to kill even pathenogenic microorganisms. However, it's still safe to ingest it as well.
Pure virgin, coconut oil can be used for both mothers and infants when it comes to thrush treatment. Make sure that you invest in the kind that is ingestible and talk to your doctor about it first, however. Even though coconut oil is considered safe for infants, it never hurts to get your pediatrician's opinion. The coconut oil can be applied inside the baby's mouth, as well as on your nipples, so that the yeast doesn't pass back and forth between you when you breastfeed. The caprylic acid that comes in the coconut oil works as a natural antifungal substance.
Tea tree oil can also work as an antifungal agent. When used in small quantities, it is safe to use in oral dispensers for adults. You can usually find a small amount of tea tree oil listed as ingredients in some oral products such as mouthwashes, toothpastes, and even toothpicks. You can try mixing a small amount of pure tea tree oil with coconut oil and rubbing it onto your nipples after feeding. Then, wash your nipples off with warm water and pat them dry before you feed the next time.
Yogurt is also very good at treating thrush. You can dip your finger in yogurt and try smearing it on the white patches inside your baby's mouth. You can also gently apply it to your nipples using a cotton swap if you are breastfeeding. Don't dip the Q-tip or whatever you are using back into the yogurt, though, or else you risk spreading the thrush into your yogurt container.
A yeast infection can also appear around the diaper area of an infant as well. If you do purchase diaper rash cream for your infant, then be aware that there are many natural products on the market that use only natural and organic ingredients. These can usually be located at health food stores, but some can also be found at the larger "box" stores as well.
Although most cases of thrush will respond well to natural thrush treatment, if it doesn't show signs of clearing up then you should take your infant to the doctor. Sometimes, thrush can cause the infant to become fussy and not want to eat properly. If this occurs, then you run the risk of your infant not getting the nutrition it needs.