Using Unsweetened Yogurt to Help Manage Oral Thrush
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Should I Eat Yogurt if I Have Thrush?

Should I Eat Yogurt if I Have Thrush?
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Updated on July 31, 2025
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If you notice white lesions on your tongue, inner cheeks, or roof of your mouth, you might have oral thrush.

Oral thrush is a yeast infection that develops inside your mouth. Antifungal medications, such as lozenges or pills, can treat it.

Another potential way to help prevent or manage oral thrush is eating unsweetened probiotic yogurt.

However, experts still recommend seeking a medical evaluation and following all antifungal treatment recommendations, not just eating yogurt, to treat oral thrush.

Unsweetened Yogurt for Oral Thrush

When a yeast infection develops in your mouth, doctors call it oral candidiasis or oral thrush.

The fungus Candida albicans is a normal organism in your mouth. When it accumulates on the lining of your mouth, you may get thrush.

Oral thrush is most often associated with babies, but older people are also at risk due to reduced immunity. Certain medications may contribute to oral thrush, too, as well as having a suppressed immune system.

In addition, oral thrush can be transmitted back and forth between mom and baby when breastfeeding, as the fungus settles in the baby’s mouth and on the mother’s breasts.

The first line of defense when treating oral thrush is to see your doctor. They may recommend antifungal medications to treat you and your child if they also have oral thrush.

Several home remedies may help reduce the painful symptoms of thrush and assist with the treatment from your doctor.

For example, warm saltwater rinses, nursing pads to prevent the infection from spreading to your clothes, and practicing good oral hygiene are all helpful interventions when treating oral thrush.

Additionally, there is some research showing unsweetened yogurt may help with oral thrush as a complementary approach, as yogurt has live and active cultures, or “good bacteria,” that may help stop the growth of Candida.

Yet the benefits may be more limited to reducing the likelihood of developing oral thrush, and the sole use of yogurt to treat this condition has not been well studied.

Yeast Infection Basics

Other than oral thrush, women can develop a vaginal yeast infection, which is a very common occurrence.

While not as common, men can get a yeast infection on the head of the penis.

Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include vaginal itching or soreness, pain during sexual intercourse, abnormal discharge, and pain or discomfort while urinating.

While the causes may differ for each person, some of the more common reasons that fungi overgrow and lead to a yeast infection include:

  • Weakened immune system, such as from HIV
  • Hormonal contraceptives
  • Unmanaged diabetes
  • Antibiotic treatments
Like oral thrush, vaginal yeast infections are often treated with a topical antifungal medication that’s available over the counter. Your doctor may also prescribe a single-dose antifungal medication, such as fluconazole, that’s taken orally.

Some research points to home remedies, like eating probiotic yogurt, to help support healthy vaginal flora. However, this is not considered an effective treatment for vaginal yeast infections. It’s best to consult a doctor if your symptoms are severe or not responding to over-the-counter antifungal medications.

The Takeaway

  • Oral thrush is a yeast infection that develops inside your mouth. Yeast infections can also develop vaginally and on the penis.
  • As with other yeast infections, your doctor may recommend antifungal medications. Talk with your doctor about which treatment they recommend.
  • Eating unsweetened probiotic yogurt may help as a complementary approach to manage Candida overgrowth that causes yeast infections.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
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Resources
  1. Oral Thrush. Mayo Clinic. December 20, 2024.
  2. Matsubara VH et al. Probiotic Lactobacilli Inhibit Early Stages of Candida Albicans Biofilm Development by Reducing Their Growth, Cell Adhesion, and Filamentation. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. July 2016.
  3. Mundula T et al. Effect of Probiotics on Oral Candidiasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. October 14, 2019.
  4. Can Men Get Yeast Infections? What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Male Yeast Infection? Mayo Clinic. December 21, 2022.
  5. Symptoms of Candidiasis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 24, 2024.
  6. Vaginal Yeast Infection. Cleveland Clinic. May 20, 2025.
  7. Vaginal Yeast Infections. Office on Women’s Health. February 27, 2025.
  8. Akinosoglou K et al. Probiotics in the Management of Vulvovaginal Candidosis. Journal of Clinical Medicine. August 30, 2024.
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Justin Laube, MD

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Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.

He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He completed his three-year residency training in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles on the primary care track and a two-year fellowship in integrative East-West primary care at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine.

He is currently taking a multiyear personal and professional sabbatical to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, disease, and the processes of healing. He is developing a clinical practice for patients with complex trauma, as well as for others going through significant life transitions. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community.

Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students.

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