ORAL THRUSH

Oral thrush also called oral candidiasis, or candidosis is a non-contagious fungal infection that occurs in the mouth. This condition is usually treated successfully with an antifungal medication — this infection is caused by a group of yeast known as Candida.

SYMPTOMS OF ORAL THRUSH

Oral thrush has the following symptoms:

Patches in the mouth which can be erased and may leave behind some red areas which have the possibility of bleeding.
Redness of the mouth and throat
Pains and a burning feeling in the mouth
Cracks around corners of the mouth

The symptoms of oral thrush can sometimes make it difficult to eat or drink.

When Should I Contact A Doctor?

If you start developing the symptoms of oral thrush, you should speak with your GP — if the condition does not get treated, you may continue to experience more symptoms and discomforts in your mouth.

In some cases, some blood tests may be recommended so that other diseases like diabetes and nutritional deficiencies which are associated with thrush can also be detected.

You can contact Cosmetic Dentistry Clinic if you need an experienced doctor. Call us on 020 71830755 to book an appointment today.

Causes Of Oral Thrush

An oral thrush is a group of yeast called Candida —normally, the mouth and the digestive system contain some fungus Candida in a low amount; their presence does not cause any problem. However, the problem only arises when they begin to multiply.

These fungi can multiply under the following conditions:

When a course of antibiotics are taken at a high dose for a long time
When corticosteroid medications for asthma are inhaled
When dentures which do not fit properly
When a person has poor dental hygiene
When a person has a dry mouth which is caused by medications or a medical condition
When a person is treating cancer with radiotherapy or chemotherapy
Smoking

People at a high risk of developing oral thrush are babies, young children and the elderly as well as people who have an underlying condition which may include iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes, hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) and HIV. Oral thrush is not contagious because many people are already living with Candida fungi in their mouth.

How Can Oral Thrush Be Treated?

Treatment of oral thrush is done with antifungal medications which may come in the form of liquids or gels —the topical medications are either applied inside the mouth, used as capsules depending on the case. Tablets or capsules are usually taken once per day, but the topical medications may have to be used for many times in a day for about 7 - 14 days.

Most of the time, these medications have no side effects, but some people may have nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pains and diarrhoea. If your oral thrush is caused by antibiotics, corticosteroids, or the method by which medication is delivered, then you may need to change or reduce the intake. You can visit our clinic, to find out more about the most suitable treatment for you. You can call us on 020 71830755 to book an appointment today.

How Can Oral Thrush Be Prevented

Prevention is always the best measure, for this reason, we have listed some things that one can undertake to reduce your chances of developing oral thrush— they include;

Brushing the teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and having regular interdental cleaning (flossing)
Rinsing your mouth with clean water after every meal
Having regular dental check-ups, whether you have natural teeth or you are wearing dentures.
Taking out your dentures every night and cleaning them before having them soaked in the denture cleaning tablets solution
Cleaning your tongue, gums and the inner part of your mouth twice daily with a soft brush if you have just a few natural teeth or use dentures
Reporting to your dentist if your dentures do not fit as they should
Quitting smoking if you do
Rinsing your mouth and pouring out the water immediately after using a corticosteroid inhaler and a spacer (the plastic container that is attached to the inhaler)
Having any underlying condition under control.

If you are receiving treatments for a condition or you already have a condition that increases your risk of having oral thrush, your dentist may ask you to take some antifungal medications to prevent the development of oral thrush. Contact us Cosmetic Dentistry Clinic in London, to meet with an experienced dentist. Give us a call on 020 71830755 to book an appointment.