Oral thrush also referred to as Oral Candidiasis, is a condition that occurs when a fungus called Candida albicans accumulates on the lining of your mouth.
Oral thrush leads to creamy white wounds/sores, ordinarily on your tongue or inner cheeks. At times oral thrush may spread to the roof of one’s mouth, gums or tonsils, or the back of the throat.
Oral thrush is a trivial problem if you’re healthy, but having a weakened immune system, the symptoms may be more severe and difficult to control.
What are the symptoms of Oral Thrush?
Oral thrush in the later stages gets worse and develops the following symptoms:
Dryness and cracking of the skin at the corners of the mouth
White/yellowish patches and bumps on the inner cheeks, tongue, tonsils, gums, etc.
Bleeding of the patches on scraping
Soreness in one’s mouth
Cotton-like sensation in the mouth
Difficulty in swallowing
Persistent bad taste
Loss of taste
The same fungus that causes oral thrush also leads to yeast infections in other parts of your body.
What Causes Oral Thrush?
Our immune system works to combat harmful invading organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, while maintaining a balance between microbes that inhabit our body. However, at times these protective mechanisms fail.
Various factors, such as a feeble immune system, can increase the risk of oral thrush.
Weakened immunity
Oral thrush occurs in infants and older adults due to reduced immunity. Some pathological ailments can contain your immune system, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, etc.
Diabetes
Having untreated diabetes or diabetes that isn’t well-controlled may lead to your saliva containing large amounts of sugar, which promotes Oral Thrush’s growth.
Medications
Drugs such as prednisone, inhaled corticosteroids, or antibiotics that disturb the natural balance of microorganisms in your body can increase your risk of oral thrush.
Other dental conditions
Wearing dentures or having conditions that cause dry mouth can increase the risk of oral thrush.
Diagnosis of Oral Thrush
Diagnosis of oral thrush can be made by examining the mouth for the characteristic bumps that it causes.
In some instances, your dentist may suggest taking a biopsy of the affected area to confirm the diagnosis.
If it is suspected that you have oral thrush of the esophagus, they may use a throat swab culture or endoscopy to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment of Oral Thrush
These quick and temporary solution may help during an outbreak of oral thrush:
Practice good oral hygiene
Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss regularly. Replace your toothbrush often until your infection clears up.
Disinfect dentures
Ask your dentist for the best way to disinfect your dentures to avoid infections.
Try warm salt water rinses.
Dissolve about some salt in 1 cup of warm water. Swish the rinse and then spit it out, but don’t swallow.
Final Note
Oral Thrush is a fungal infection that could occur to both infants as well as seniors generally. It is due to the low immune strength that cannot fight off Candida albicans.
One must be very careful about this as this can spread to other parts in one’s body. Visit your dentist if you see any of the symptoms. Treating it at the early stages is the safest always.
