Thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by the candida fungus, also known
as yeast. Candida infection is not limited to the mouth; it can occur in other
parts of the body as well, causing diaper rash in infants or vaginal yeast
infections in women.
Thrush can affect anyone, though it occurs most often in babies and
toddlers, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Thrush Treatment
While healthy individuals can be effectively treated for thrush, the symptoms may be more severe and difficult to manage in those with weakened immune systems. Antifungal medications, which are generally taken for 10 to 14 days, are often prescribed to treat thrush. These medicines are available in tablets, lozenges, or liquids. Your dentist will have a specific treatment approach designed for you based on your age and the cause of the infection. Because the presence of candida infection can be a symptom of other medical problems, your dentist may suggest you seek care from a medical doctor as well so that any underlying health problems you may have can be treated.
Small amounts of the candida fungus are present in the mouth, digestive
tract, and skin of most healthy people and are normally kept in check by other
bacteria and microorganisms in the body. However, certain illnesses, stress, or
medications can disturb the delicate balance, causing the fungus candida to
grow out of control, causing thrush.
Medications that upset the balance of microorganisms in the mouth and may
cause thrush include corticosteroids, antibiotics, and birth control pills.
Illnesses or medical situations that make candida infection more likely to
develop include uncontrolled diabetes, HIV infection, cancer, dry mouth, or pregnancy (caused by the
hormonal changes that occur with pregnancy). People who smoke or wear dentures
that don't fit properly also are at increased risk for thrush. In addition,
babies can pass the infection to their mothers during breast-feeding.
What are the symptoms of thrush?
Thrush usually develops suddenly, but it may become chronic, persisting over
a long period of time. A common sign of thrush is the presence of creamy white,
slightly raised lesions in your mouth—usually on your tongue or inner cheeks—but also sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, tonsils, or back of your
throat. The lesions, which may have a "cottage cheese" appearance, can
be painful and may bleed slightly when you scrape them or brush your teeth. In
severe cases, the lesions may spread into your esophagus, or swallowing tube,
causing:
Pain or difficulty swallowing
A feeling that food gets stuck in the throat or
mid-chest area
Fever, if the infection spreads beyond the esophagus
Thrush can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs, liver,
and skin. This happens more often in people with cancer, HIV, or other
conditions that weaken the immune system.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue. Treatment of diabetes depends on the type.
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, which infects humans when it comes in contact with a break in the skin or tissues such as those that line the vagina, anal area, mouth, or eyes.
There are a variety of diseases and conditions that can cause tongue problems, discoloration, and soreness. Though most tongue problems are not serious. Conditions such as leukoplakia, oral thrush, and oral lichen planus may cause a white tongue while Kawasaki syndrome, scarlet fever, and geographic tongue may cause the tongue to appear red. A black hairy tongue may be caused by overgrown papillae on the tongue. Canker sores, smoking, and trauma may cause soreness of the tongue.
Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and non-prescription drugs. Symptoms of dry mouth include a sticky, dry feeling in the mouth, frequent thirst, sores in the mouth; sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth, cracked lips, a dry feeling in the throat, a b urning or tingling sensation in the mouth, and a dry, red, raw tongue.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of a type of fungus called Candida. Oral thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth and throat. Oral thrush and yeast infections are treated orally or topically with an antifungal antibiotic called Nystatin.
It's important to know whether you will breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby prior to delivery, as the breasts' ability to produce milk diminishes soon after childbirth without the stimulation of breastfeeding. Breast milk is easily digested by babies and contains infection-fighting antibodies and cholesterol, which promotes brain growth. Formula-fed babies actually need to eat somewhat less often since formula is less readily digested by the baby than human milk. This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of both forms of feeding.
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a condition that causes pain in the mouth. BMS may be caused by menopause, dry mouth or allergies. Signs and symptoms include tingling or numbness of the tip of the tongue, bitter or metallic taste, and dry or sore mouth. Treatment depends upon the cause of your burning mouth syndrome.
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding
tissues. Two types of dentures are available -- complete and partial dentures.
Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial
dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.
Complete Dentures
Complete dentures can be either "conventional" or
"immediate." Made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue
has begun to heal, a conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth
about 8 to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.
Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made in advance and can
be positioned as soon as the teeth are removed. As a result, the wearer does
not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums
shrink over time, especially during the healing period following tooth removal.
Therefore a disadvantage of immediate ...
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