A weak immune system, stress, poor nutrition and disease conditions like HIV, cancer, etc may disturb the balance of yeast present in your mouth which may cause over growth leading to an infection in your mouth. Go through the following article to know more about it.
Are you suffering from a creamy white lesion in your mouth that is slightly raised, painful and often bleeds on getting hurt? You are probably bearing yeast infections in your mouth. It is also known as oral thrush and is caused by a fungus named Candida. It can affect anyone. Though the common victims are babies, older people of more than 50 years of age and anyone with a poor immune system are also vulnerable to getting infected. In a human body, small amounts of yeast are always present in the mouth, digestive tract and on the skin. However, their amount is kept under control by the bacteria and other micro-organisms present in the body. Some factors may upset this balance of yeast in the mouth which results in the mouth getting infected.
Causes
Following are the various agents that induce a disturbance in the normal balance of yeast in mouth.
- Weakened immunity
- Stress
- Corticosteroids
- Malnutrition
- Antibiotics
- Birth control pills
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Dry mouth
- Cancer
- HIV infection
- Pregnancy
- Improperly fitted dentures
- Smoking
Treatment
Antifungal Medicines
Take over-the-counter antifungal medicines for yeast infection treatment. These are mostly in the form of pastilles that are meant to be either sucked and held in the mouth for local action. A doctor may prescribe antifungal medicines in the form of tablets or injection for systemic action.
Raw Garlic
Garlic has a number of health benefits and treating yeast infection is one of them. Eat a clove of raw garlic once a day. Take it in and keep it there for 20-30 sec. It will treat your condition within a couple of days.
Water
Water helps your body in detoxification. It assists your body in flushing out toxins and excess of nutrients. Sugar is necessary for the growth and reproduction of yeast. Abundance of sugar in the body will help the yeast to grow their colonies. If you drink lots of water, it will flush out some amount of sugar, and thus will cure yeast infection to some extent.
Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is known to kill yeast but as it is quite strong, it is not recommended for direct intake. There is a risk of tissue damage. You may use it as an ingredient of some foodstuff. Never use plain, white vinegar as it assists the yeast growth.
Probiotics
Your body has billions of micro-organisms residing in it. Some of them are necessary for maintaining a sound physical health. Such bacteria are called probiotics. You may make use of probiotics to bring back the amount of yeast in your mouth to a normal limit. Consult a doctor to learn the type and dosage of the probiotic for this purpose.
Miscellaneous
There can be a number of things that you can try in the comfort of your home, to cure yeast infection. Try to drink liquids at cold temperatures. Cut down or completely avoid sugars, if possible, as they support the growth of yeast. Wash your mouth with salt water at least twice a day. This will work against the yeast culture in the mouth. Gentian violet is a chemical that is known to kill yeast. Discuss with a doctor, about its suitability in your case. The infection can make your mouth very sensitive to activities like regular brushing of teeth. Use a soft toothbrush. Frequently washing the mouth with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution will prove to be of great help.
The infection can be acute as well as chronic. An untreated yeast infection may spread to other parts including esophagus, and thereby to the stomach. This will further complicate the matter, making the treatment a bit difficult. Therefore, try the above suggested home remedies to treat the yeast infection and monitor your condition for 3-4 days. If significant improvement is not observed, consult a medical professional for the necessary intervention.
