ORAL THRUSH

Oral thrush is an infection of the yeast on the inside of the mouth cavity. The yeast in question here belongs to the genus Candida. Due to this reason, oral thrush is also medically known as oral candidiasis. The specific species that causes oral thrush is Candida albicans, though other species of Candida are also known to cause this condition.

There is a subtle difference in the terminology used by the medical experts. When they speak about oral candidiasis, they are actually referring to yeast infection in the mouths of babies and children. For referring to the problem in adults, the term used generally is oral candidosis. However, this is a medical subtlety. For purposes of this article, we will use oral candidiasis to refer to the condition both in babies and in adults.

What causes Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush is caused due to infection by Candida yeast. The following groups of people are more vulnerable than others.

The commonest cause of oral thrush is through breastfeeding, especially if the nipples are not maintained hygienically. This is the reason why the condition is most prevalent in newborns. Women are also a susceptible group when they are arriving at puberty, undergoing pregnancy or reaching their menopause because in these times there is a drastic change in their hormonal levels.

Some diseases can weaken the immunity of the body and cause oral thrush. People with HIV infections are at great risk. Also, diabetic persons who are not following their treatment patterns regularly are at risk.

Smokers are also considered to be a high risk group for the condition.

What are the Symptoms of Oral Thrush?

When a person gets oral thrush, the condition becomes easily apparent in the mouth region, especially at the back. Whitish patches are formed on the inside of the mouth. In some cases, there may be some reddish sore spots formed which will appear embossed over the surrounding area of the mouth. Pain is not a universal feature of the condition. It is observed that newborns that get this condition experience no pain at all. The severity of the pain is directly proportional to the person's age.

How is Oral Thrush treated?

Oral thrush is completely treatable. Medicinal therapies are sufficient in most cases. The commonly used drugs are miconazole, amphotericin B and nystatin. In some severe cases, drastic measures need to be employed such as administering the antifungal medication intravenously. However, this is only in people who have some other chronic condition that brings on this problem as a complication.

Zahnimplantate bei Kindern
Panikattacken beim Zahnarzt
Angst vor dem Zahnarzt
Bleaching von Zaehnen
Mundgeruch