Oral Thrush
Yeast Infection in a mouth
What causes a yeast infection in a mouth? Candida Albicans accumulate on the lining of your mouth. Candida is a normal organism but can overgrow and sometimes cause symptoms, leading to developing a yeast infection in a mouth.
An appearance of yeast infection in a mouth:
- A creamy white lesion
- Sometimes can be raised lesions with a cottage cheese-like appearance.
- Do not always appear white; some thrush appears red (atrophic).
Common location of yeast infection in a mouth:
- On the tongue or inner cheeks.
- It can spread to the roof of your mouth, gums, and tonsils or back of your throat.
Oral thrush can affect anyone but is more common in babies, the elderly, and in people with suppressed immune systems. It is a minor problem in a healthy person but can be more severe in a person with a weakened immune system.
Oral thrush or yeast infection in a mouth can occur when a disease or drugs such as prednisone weaken your immune system. Also, people on antibiotics may disturb the natural balance of microorganisms in the body, causing thrush.
If you have a suppressed immune system thrush is more likely to spread to your digestive tract, lungs, liver, heart..etc. The infections can also spread to the intestines, making it difficult to receive adequate nutrition.
Diseases that may make you more susceptible to yeast infection in a mouth:
- HIV
- Cancer-Can occur after chemotherapy/radiation
- Diabetes
Other causes for yeast infection in a mouth:
- People who wear dentures and do not take them out when they sleep, don’t clean them properly, or ill-fitting dentures.
- Inhalers-not cleaning the inhaler properly.
- Excessive mouth rinse use-might destroy the bacteria that keep the Candida bacteria at bay.
- Steroid medication-long-term use.
- Dry Mouth
- Diet
- Smoking
Best Treatment for yeast infection in a mouth:
- Antifungal medications
- They come in the forms of drops, gel, or lozenges.
- The best treatment is to take Probiotics to prevent it while taking antibiotics.
Prevention of: thrush or yeast infection in a mouth
- Take Probiotic regularly
- After using an inhaler, rinse your mouth with water
- Brush twice a day and floss regularly
- Clean your dentures adequately and take them out at night
- See your dentist regularly
- Try and limit the amount of sugar and yeast-containing foods
- Maintaining good blood sugar levels if you’re diabetic