Causes of Oral Thrush

Oral thrush is an infection of the mouth that can affect people of any age. Knowing the symptoms and the susceptibility factors can aid you in being more likely to recognize the infection in yourself or others. Treatments vary depending on the health condition of the person involved, with age as an additional factor.

Definition

• Oral thrush is a fungus infection of the linings of the mouth and on the tongue. The offending fungal organism is Candida albicans.

Causes

• Different disease states or health conditions can affect your body's resistance to fight off invading organisms. Some conditions affect your immune system, some the acid/base balance.

  HIV/AIDS: The HIV virus comprises the infection-fighting ability of your body, making oral thrush an opportunistic infection. It usually only appears if levels of the virus-fighting cells known as CD4 fall below 300.

  Diabetes Mellitus: For diabetics whose blood sugar control is poor, or in people who have diabetes but don't know it, the high blood sugar level gives the Candida Albicans organisms a perfect environment to thrive.

  Cancer: The immune system is often suppressed, either from the disease itself or from treatments such as chemotherapy and/or radiation that suppress the body's ability to fight infection.

  Organ Transplant: The immuno-suppressive medications that organ transplant patients are required to take to prevent organ rejection make the body more susceptible to oral thrush.

  Taking antibiotics or steroids: Antibiotics can sometimes destroy the healthy organisms in the body that prevent infections such as oral thrush. Steroids cause the immune system to be less efficient.

  Being very young or very old: It's not uncommon for infants to have an oral thrush infection, nor for the elderly.

  Overall poor health: Ill health affects every system of your body, including its ability to fight infections.

Symptoms

• The telltale symptom is a white coating (lesions) on the tongue or other parts of the inner mouth resembling velvet or cottage cheese. If this coating is scraped away, there will be slight bleeding or intense redness of the underlying tissue. Although it is more common for this coating to be on the tongue and/or inner cheeks, it may also be present on the gums, roof of the mouth and tonsils.

  Over time, the lesions may increase in number and size and may extend into the throat. This affects the esophagus, causing a sore throat and perhaps difficulty swallowing.

Treatment

• If you or your child develops painful white lesions inside the mouth, see a doctor or dentist.

  Treatments vary, depending on the age of the person who has oral thrush and her general physical condition.

  Healthy adults: Eating unsweetened yogurt or taking acidophilus supplements may be all that is needed for the body to restore normal healthy organisms, which fight the oral thrush infection. If this doesn't heal the infection, the physician may prescribe antifungal medication.

  Adults with compromised immune systems: Likely, your physician will prescribe antifungal medication(s) to treat the oral thrush.

  Children: If a child in good health develops oral thrush, a physician may suggest having the child eat unsweetened yogurt to restore the proper healthy balance in the mouth. If this method doesn't heal the infection, an antifungal medication may be prescribed.

  Infants: Your physician is likely to prescribe an antifungal medication.

Prevention/Solution

• When taking antibiotics or steroids, including the use of a corticosteroid inhaler, eat unsweetened yogurt or supplement your diet with acidophilus.

  After using a corticosteroid inhaler, rinse your mouth and/or brush your teeth.

  See your dentist regularly and follow whatever flossing/brushing regimen is recommended. Denture wearers must keep their dentures cleaned regularly.

Disclaimer

• This content is not meant to replace or be a substitute for advice given by a health care provider.