How To Manage Oral Thrush While Pregnant

Pregnancy is an amazing journey for any expectant mother. However, a lot of care and precautions need to be taken during this time for her as well as her baby’s safety. For that, a soon-to-be mom needs to avoid getting any sort of infections- be it bacterial, fungal, or viral. One such common infection that might occur during pregnancy is oral thrush. Usually, oral thrush is not contagious. However, oral thrush lesions can be quite painful and disturbing to you. While it can be treated with certain medications, you might get worried about its effect on your baby. But don’t you worry. Read on further to know how oral thrush occurs and how you can manage it safely.

Causes Of Oral Thrush

The fungus Candida albicans, which often inhabits genitals or mouth, is responsible for thrush. It naturally occurs in the body and is usually in small amounts. During pregnancy, the body undergoes hormonal changes which can affect the way our immune system functions. When this happens, the growth of the Candida albicans fungus goes unchecked. And when the fungus grows to excessive levels, it results in thrush (1).

Signs And Symptoms Of Oral Thrush

Here are a few signs and symptoms of oral thrush. Check to see if you have experienced or experiencing any of these (2).

• White creamy lesions on the inner cheeks, tongue, the palate of the mouth, and even on gums
• Lesions that might be slightly raised with a cottage-cheese-like appearance
• Severe soreness and redness that might sometimes affect the ability to eat or swallow food and liquids
• A light amount of bleeding might occur if the lesions get scraped or rubbed
• Redness and cracking in either one or both corners of the mouth
• A feeling of having cotton in the mouth
• Loss of sense of taste

Possible Risk Factors For Contracting Oral Thrush (3)

Here are a few risk factors that might contribute to contracting oral thrush infection:

• A weak immune system
• Use of dentures
• Other health conditions like diabetes
• Use of certain medications like oral or inhaled corticosteroids, antibiotics, etc.
• Pre-existing conditions that cause a dry mouth

Natural Ways To Manage Oral Thrush (4)

If you’ve just been through the list above and believe you have oral thrush, then let’s just say “take a deep breath and relax.” There is nothing to panic as it can be treated. However, since the oral lesions can make swallowing difficult, it can affect your food intake. This, in turn, might make you weak during your pregnancy. Which is why it is imperative to treat this condition as early as possible. Here are a few natural ways how you can treat oral thrush:

Ensure Good Oral Hygiene- Proper oral hygiene is the key to avoiding oral infections. Since an excessive amount of fungus results in oral thrush, one of the ways to keep it in check is regular brushing and flossing of the teeth. Make sure you rinse your mouth after every meal. But do not use mouthwash during this time as it can affect the fine balance of the flora in your mouth.

Salt Water Rinse And Gargle – It is probably one of the safest ways to treat oral thrush naturally. Rinsing your mouth in warm salt water might help alleviate the pain caused by the sores inside the mouth. Dissolve a ½ teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. Take a big sip, swish it inside your mouth, and spit it out. Take care not to swallow it.

Take Liquid Diet: Of course, swallowing coarse food or chewing might become a little difficult for you when you have sores in your mouth. Therefore, take liquid diet like a healthy soup or broken rice porridge to fill your tummy until the condition resolves.

If, despite all the precautions and management, your sores do not subside within a week, then visit your doctor without further delay. Your doctor might prescribe the right medicine or a safe mouth ulcer gel to treat them. If you have even the slightest doubt in your mind, make sure you discuss it with your doctor.

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