How to treat thrush

  Thrush is a mucosal disease caused by Candida albicans infection and requires systemic and topical antifungal treatment.  Thrush is a neonatal snowy mouth disease that occurs in infants and toddlers up to six months of age, most often when the infant’s resistance is weakened and the oral mucosa develops white, snow-like damage that can be wiped away to reveal the red lesions inside. Infants and toddlers may cry or refuse to drink milk during thrush attacks. The main causative agent of thrush is Candida albicans, a conditionally pathogenic bacteria. It is not pathogenic when normally present in the mouth of adults, but occurs in infants and children to induce thrush.  Treatment of thrush is divided into systemic treatment and local treatment of the oral cavity. Systemic treatment can include oral administration of vitamin B2 and vitamin C, enhanced nutrition, regular ventilation of the infant’s room, and isolation and disinfection. Local treatment can be done by using mycophenolate or sodium bicarbonate to clean the child’s mouth, or nipples. Infants’ toys should also be disinfected promptly to prevent cross-infection. Sodium bicarbonate mainly changes the oral environment into an alkaline environment, which can stunt the growth and reproduction of the pathogenic Candida albicans, but cannot directly kill Candida albicans. The mucous membrane affected area can also be coated with ice borax.  The treatment of thrush can be systemic nutrition and immunity enhancement, and topical cleaning with sodium bicarbonate or mycophenolate.