Oral thrush A. Introduction Oral thrush occurs when a yeast infection develops on the inside of your mouth and on your tongue. This condition is also known as oral candidiasis, oropharyngeal candidiasis, or, simply, thrush. The Candida albicans (C. albicans) fungus causes oral thrush. Candida is a normal organism in your mouth, but sometimes it can overgrow and cause symptoms. Oral thrush most often occurs in infants and toddlers. Oral thrush is typically mild and rarely causes complications. However, the condition can be problematic for those with weakened immune systems. B. Signs and Symtoms Oral thrush is usually harmless. It's common in babies and older people with dentures. It can be easily treated with medicines bought from a pharmacy. Adults

Your mouth is red inside and you have white patches

When you wipe off the white patches, they leave red spots that can bleed

Other symptoms in adults are:

1.cracks at the corners of the mouth 2.not tasting things properly 3.an unpleasant taste in the mouth 4.pain inside the mouth (for example, a sore tongue or sore gums) 5.difficulty eating and drinking Oral thrush in adults isn't contagious.

Babies

A white coating on the tongue like cottage cheese – this can't be rubbed off easily

Sometimes there are white spots in their mout

Other symptoms in babies are:

1.they don't want to feed 2.nappy rash Babies can pass oral thrush on through breastfeeding. This can cause nipple thrush in mothers. C. Treatment Treatment for oral thrush varies depending on your age and overall health. The purpose of treatment is to prevent the growth and spread of the fungus. Once treatment begins, oral thrush usually goes away within a couple of weeks. However, oral thrush may return again in the future. A complete cure is more likely if you have a healthy immune system and are free of other diseases. If you have recurring cases of oral thrush and are otherwise healthy, your doctor will evaluate you for an underlying condition that’s causing the thrush. Medical treatments: 1.Fluconazole (Diflucan)2.Clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche). 3.Nystatin (Nystop, Nyata).4.Itraconazole (Sporanox). 5.Amphotericin B (AmBisome, Fungizone). Home remedies: 1.Brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush to avoid scraping the lesions. Replace the toothbrush at the end of treatment. 2.Properly clean your dentures. 3.Don’t use mouthwashes or mouth sprays aside from prescribed ones. 4.Maintain appropriate blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. Treatments for mothers and breastfeeding infants: When a breastfeeding infant has oral thrush, both the mother and infant should be treated to prevent a cycle of retransmission.

D. Prevention

Taking the following measures can help reduce the risk of oral thrush developing:

 Brushing regularly: The teeth should be brushed at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and flossed at least once a day. If a person has no or few teeth or wears dentures, the gums, tongue and insides of the cheeks should be gently brushed twice a day. Mouthwashes and mouthsprays should be avoided as they disrupt the microbial balance in the mouth.  Cleaning dentures: Dentures should be cleaned every day. A dentist can advise on how different types of dentures should be cleaned. Dentures should be removed from the mouth before bedtime, cleaned with denture paste or soapy water, and then left to soak in a denture-cleaning solution overnight.  Attending dental appointments regularly: Dental check-ups should be attended regularly, even when a person has no or few teeth. It is especially important for people who wear dentures or who have diabetes (see below) to attend dental appointments regularly.  Keeping diabetes under control: Saliva with a high sugar content provides a favorable environment for the growth of Candida albicans. Individuals with diabetes should therefore keep their blood sugar level under control, to reduce the amount of sugar in their saliva.  Taking care what you eat: Eating foods rich in sugar and yeast can also encourage Candida growth, so the intake of foods such as bread, beer and wine should be limited.  Rinsing the mouth after corticosteroid inhalation: People who use a corticosteroid inhaler for asthma should rinse their mouth and brush their teeth afterwards. Inhaled corticosteroids depress the immune system in the lungs to help prevent the inflammation that causes asthma. Unfortunately, they often also disrupt immune mechanisms in the throat that keep Candida albicans in check. The patient should be instructed to rinse out the mouth with water thoroughly after inhalation of such drugs, and a spacer should be used during inhalation.  Treating vaginal thrush: Vaginal thrush and oral thrush are both caused by Candida albicans overgrowth. Although a vaginal yeast infection is not dangerous, a woman can pass on the yeast to her baby during birth, in which case the baby may develop oral thrush. It is therefore important to ensure any vaginal thrush is treated.  Stopping smoking: Inhaled tobacco smoke dries the mouth and disrupts the microbial balance which can lead to overgrowth of Candida.

E.Reference

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oral-thrush-mouth-thrush/ https://www.healthline.com/health/thrush#treatments