Oral thrush is a fungal infection of the mouth, where a fungus that lives in the oral cavity overgrows and causes white lesions. There are some foods to avoid with oral thrush, so make sure you know what to eat and what to avoid.
What Is Oral Thrush?
Oral thrush, also known as oral candidiasis, happens when the fungus Candida albicans accumulates in the lining of the mouth, according to Mayo Clinic. While this organism normally lives in the oral cavity, it can sometimes overgrow and cause white lesions on your tongue or inside your cheeks. In some cases, you may find it on the roof of your mouth, your tonsils, the back of your throat, or your gums.
Oral thrush is most common in those who have reduced immunity. Typically, the immune system works to prevent harmful bacteria from invading your tissues while maintaining a balance between the good and bad bacteria that live inside your body, according to InformedHealth.org.
But if your immune system is weak, these protective mechanisms fail, allowing the number of candida spores to increase, making way for an oral thrush infection.
While this condition can affect anyone, it tends to occur most often in babies and older adults. It’s a minor problem if you’re healthy, but if your immune system is weakened due to health conditions or medications, your symptoms may be more difficult to control — and more severe.
At first, you may not notice the symptoms of oral thrush. But over time, this condition may cause the following symptoms, according to Cleveland Clinic:
- White lesions on the tongue, cheeks, gums, tonsils, and roof of the mouth
- Lesions that resemble cottage cheese
- Irritation and soreness that may cause difficulty eating or swallowing
- Bleeding if the lesions are scraped or rubbed
- Loss of taste
- Dry mouth
If you or your child has any of the above symptoms, reach out to a healthcare professional so they can perform further testing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you’re more likely to experience thrush if you have:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- HIV/AIDS
- Medications that cause dry mouth
- Medical conditions that cause dry mouth
- A need to use antibiotics or corticosteroids
- A smoking habit
Foods to Avoid
It can be difficult to eat when you have oral thrush. After you start antifungal medication, certain dietary changes may lessen the severity of thrush symptoms. Mayo Clinic recommends limiting sugar-containing foods, as they may promote candida growth and make it harder to get rid of the infection.
One study found that an unbalanced intake of carbohydrates, refined sugar, and ultraprocessed foods could promote candida growth. Another study found that children who are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, vitamin A, iron, and zinc are more susceptible to thrush.
Based on this information, the foods to avoid with oral thrush include:
- Sugary drinks like soda, beer, or wine
- Processed foods that are high in added sugars
Candida Diet Food List
Many people have claimed the “candida diet cleanse” helps detoxify the body and make it easier to avoid candida overgrowth. But according to Mayo Clinic, there is little evidence to support the notion that such a diet helps treat or prevent candida infection.
That said, if you’re looking to prevent the recurrence of oral thrush, trying the official candida diet may be worth a try. (Just ask your doctor or a registered dietitian if it’s right for you.) This approach is low-sugar and anti-inflammatory, to promote better gut health and eliminate the sugars that feed candida growth, according to The Candida Diet.
This dietary plan is largely based on non-starchy vegetables, low-sugar fruits, gluten-free grains, fermented foods, and some dairy products. To start, it suggests replacing the foods to avoid with things like:
- Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha
- Low-sugar fruits such as blueberries, lemon, and lime
- Quinoa and other pseudograins such as buckwheat
- Lean protein such as chicken and fish
- Eggs
- Herbs and spices
- Stevia
- Sugar alcohols such as xylitol and erythritol
- Water
- Herbal tea
- Chicory coffee
- Matcha
According to the candida diet, “maybe foods” are foods to avoid with thrush in the mouth, but they may be okay in small amounts for the diet. These include:
- Beans
- Beets
- Corn
- Yams
- Pumpkin
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
- Pears
- Peaches
- Oranges
- Apples
- Blackberries
- Amaranth
- Brown rice
- Wild rice
- Black rice
- Beef
- Venison
- Lamb
- Peanuts
- Pistachios
- Nut butter
- Nut milk
- Walnut
- Coffee
- Green tea
- Vegetable juice
While some of these foods may not bother you, others might worsen your thrush symptoms. It may involve a process of trial and error, introducing foods under the guidance of a nutritionist or medical professional.
If your oral thrush symptoms persist after antifungal treatment and diet and lifestyle changes, check in with your doctor, who can give you more personalized advice and suggest other treatment options.