HEALTH - ORAL THRUSH
Oral thrush is a condition in which the fungus Candida albicans accumulates on the lining of your mouth. Oral thrush causes creamy white lesions, usually on your tongue or inner cheeks. The lesions can be painful and may bleed slightly when you scrape them. Sometimes oral thrush may spread to the roof of your mouth, your gums, your tonsils or the back of your throat. Although oral thrush can affect anyone, it's more likely to occur in babies and in people who wear dentures, use inhaled corticosteroids or have compromised immune systems. Oral thrush is a minor problem if you're healthy, but if you have a weakened immune system, symptoms of oral thrush may be more severe and difficult to control.
Symptoms
Creamy white lesions on your tongue, inner cheeks and sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums and tonsils
Lesions with a cottage cheese-like appearance
Pain
Slight bleeding if the lesions are rubbed or scraped
Cracking and redness at the corners of your mouth (especially in denture wearers)
A cottony feeling in your mouth
Loss of taste
In severe cases, the lesions may spread downward into your esophagus the long, muscular tube stretching from the back of your mouth to your stomach (Candida esophagitis). If this occurs, you may experience difficulty swallowing or feel as if food is getting stuck in your throat.
Treatment
Treatment of oral thrush begins with seeking regular medical care throughout your life. Regular medical care allows your health care professional to assess your risks of developing oral thrush and promptly order diagnostic testing for oral thrush and possible underlying conditions, such as diabetes. These measures greatly increase the chances of diagnosing and treating underlying causes of oral thrush in their earliest stages.
Oral thrush treatment includes:
Antiseptic mouthwashes
Diagnosing and treating any underlying diseases such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes. Treating the high blood sugar levels of diabetes may resolve a current infection of oral thrush and is critical to minimizing the risk of developing recurrent infections. Eating yogurt or taking acidophilus supplements, which can help correct the abnormal balance of microorganisms in the mouth?Medications, including prescription oral antifungal medications such as fluconazole Warm salt-water mouth rinses. In many cases, oral thrush in infants can disappear within two weeks and may need no treatment other than watching the progress of the mouth lesions. Because oral thrush may be painful and affect feedings, the pediatrician should still be notified if symptoms appear in an infant.More Information
www.mayoclinic.com
www.yourdentistryguide.com