Medications for Thrush From Radiation in the Mouth

Thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth and throat caused by the fungus Candida albicans. This infection can be very painful. Oral thrush rarely occurs in healthy people, but can develop if a person's immune system is weakened by disease, drugs such as corticosteroids, chemotherapy or radiation therapy involving the head or neck. Effectively treating thrush under a doctor's supervision is important to prevent it from spreading to a systemic infection.

Clotrimazole

• Clotrimazole is an anti-fungal medication that can eliminate thrush. It is available in lozenge form that the patient allows to slowly dissolve in the mouth over 15 to 30 minutes. Treatment typically lasts for 2 weeks.

Nystatin

• Nystatin is another anti-fungal medication that can treat thrush. This medicine is available as a dry powder to be dissolved in water, then swished around the mouth, gargled and swallowed. It also is provided in lozenge form and as a liquid.

Fluconazole

• Your doctor will likely prescribe systemic anti-fungal medicine if the thrush does not resolve, or if you may be particularly vulnerable to systemic thrush. Fluconazole is available as a tablet and as a liquid to take by mouth, usually once a day. You may need to take fluconazole for several weeks.

Amphotericin B

• Sometimes a radiation therapy patient has recurring thrush that becomes resistant to anti-fungal drugs. Additionally, the infection may spread to the bloodstream and become dangerous. Amphotericin B, an antibiotic that fights fungal infections, can be provided for these cases. This drug is administered intravenously in a hospital setting. Because it can cause severe side effects, amphotericin B is typically only used when the infection is serious enough to be potentially life-threatening.